LaPorte County Jail

Gotta vent (been reading court decisions)...

2011-03-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

I caught up on my reading today. New laws, procedures, court decisions, etc. I was pretty far behind. Anyway, it was a huge mistake. I ALWAYS get frustrated and angry when I read court decisions. It is truly amazing that our judges in their immense wisdom think common sense does not apply to the constitution. I often wonder about the constitutional rights of crime victims. Or, do they have any? These guys (and gals) wear their black robes, sit behind the fancy bench and seemingly think of ways to make law enforcement's job harder. Like it's a game to them, or something. I've watched for 28 years as judges and lawyers have purveyed their swill in the search for "truth" and "justice". A pig would refuse to eat a lot of the swill I have seen purveyed...

I still believe that one has to be pretty intelligent to graduate from law school, and to pass the Bar Exam, but, obviously does not have to be very smart. "Intelligent" does not equal "smart". My belief is that one of the prerequisites of being a judge should be being a victim of a crime - the more violent of a crime, the better. Maybe this would give a different perspective to the out-of-touch with the real world, arrogant eggheads that make the rules to protect the public. No, wait. My mistake. To protect the creeps that terrorize society.

We in law enforcement are so smothered with idiotic rules, our ability to do the right thing is effectively squashed. It is more necessary to protect the predators of society from the big, bad, meanie cops.

The idea is for our criminal justice system to have checks and balances. A great idea. However, our system is not checked and balanced. It is turned against itself. No wonder it fails miserably. When it comes to constitutional issues, our forefathers have to spinning into orbit.

Here's just one example of a case I read today:

A guy was walking along the roadway, obviously in la-la land. He was talking out of his head, and made the statement he was in heaven. The police did the right thing by getting him to a mental facility, where he signed a consent form for treatment. He was there for about 6 months. When he was released, presumably cured, or at least on some type of program to help him with his mental issues, he promptly sued because his constitutional rights were violated by the police for forcing him to get treatment. Nice. The guy gets help on the taxpayers' dime and then sues. (A side note - I realize I am wailing on this guy, but, there is an attorney in the background propagating this BS). Well, guess what. The government lost the case. Presumably, the taxpayers had to pay out more (You can bet more to the attorney than to the mentally ill guy). The reason? Due to him being mentally ill, the guy could not give consent for treatment.

I'm not kidding.

Basically, the courts have found that mentally ill people are not capable of making their own decisions, but have also ruled that we in law enforcement have the obligation to allow them to make their own decisions. And, if we fail to protect them when they make a decision driven by their mental illness, which the courts have said they're unable to do because they are mentally ill, but we still have to let them make their own decisions because the courts say we have to, we are liable for violating their constitutional right to be protected because they are not capable of making decisions for themselves due to their mental illness, but if we force them into some type of protection against their will, we are liable for violating their constituational right to refuse treatment for their mental illness, even though the courts have said they're not capable of making decisions on their own because of their mental illness.

There is a procedure here in Indiana called an "emergency detention". What happens is a person petitions a doctor to determine that a person is mentally ill and in imminent danger of hurting themselves. The doctor completes a form, which is forwarded to a judge. The judge makes a decision, signs the order, and the police take the mentally ill person to a facility for a mandatory period of 72 hours. For the most part, this system works well, and is with in reason, timely in the way it works. The catch. If the person is incarcerated, and that is the person this article is about, we are obligated to provide round-the-clock security for that person at the mental facility. So, since there are normally not enough officers working to staff the jail, overtime pay is needed to have someone off-duty stand guard. Seventy-two hours of overtime. And, the taxpayers have to pay for the mental health treatment as well. On top of these issues, we have to transport what is often a violent person, from the jail to the mental facility.

Law enforcement officers put themselves in danger, and make decisions every day that have a profound affect on peoples' lives. Many times, life-altering decisions. Why can't we be trusted to squirt a little liquid pschotropic medicine that is prescribed and supervised by a doctor, into the drink of a mentally ill person who has refused medicine, if that medicine will make them act and feel better? Maybe, keep them from hurting themselves or someone else. I'm not talking about drugging them into a catatonic state. I'm referring to medicating based on good, sound medical practice. Many, many, many people take psychotropic medications on a daily basis and live normal lives. Instead, an officer would be in jeopardy of being arrested and held in the same jail where he works if he tried to help the person by doing this type of thing. We taxpayers have to spend millions of dollars nationwide each year while law enforcement is forced to jump through hoops, because the judges know better how to do things.

See what I mean when I say that "intelligent" does not equal "smart". Some guy in a black robe, who is insulated against the real world, and does not have to literally wrestle on the ground with these mentally ill people on a daily basis, thinks he knows better how things should be handled. I wonder if it was a judge's mother, father, son, daughter, who was running full speed head-first into the wall because they are mentally ill and don't know better (I am speaking literally. This happens more than you might think), if the rules wouldn't change...

Something has to change or our system is going to implode. And, our society won't be far behind. Some say this can't happen. Remember the great Roman Empire? Some said it would never fail. Where is it now?

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

Recidivism: Inmate Programs and Bigger Jails

2011-03-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

The adult and teen leadership classes visited the jail in the past couple of days. The purpose of the classes is to educate people about various aspects LaPorte County and Indiana Government.

When the classes visit, we hold an "inmate panel" which consists of three (3) inmates who volunteer to answer questions in front of the class. The inmates are shackled and handcuffed, and are escorted into the classroom wearing their orange jumpsuits. The class members ask questions, great questions, of the inmates for about half an hour. Boy, do the lies fly...

Anyway, discussion is held after the panel is done and the inmates are escorted from the room. One subject that ALWAYS comes up is, what should we do as a society - Build more jails or try to break the cycle by offering programs?

Truthfully, neither is working very well.

If we build more jails and prisons, more inmates will be held in the bigger facilities, which prompts us to have to build even bigger jails and prisons in order to house more inmates, which requires bigger and bigger facilities to be built to hold more inmates... You get the point. It's the "If you build it, they will come" syndrome. Our neighbor, Elkhart County, built a new 936 bed jail in 2007 that cost about $100 million, yes, that's $100,000,000! Yikes!! Granted that most counties, in Indiana at least, aren't as big as Elkhart County, but think of the cost nationwide to build these places.

I'm not even mentioning operating and maintenance costs.

Let's take the LaPorte County Jail (I'm kinda partial). We renovated in 2004, expanding to 368 beds from 132 beds. Cost? About $22 million. At that time, seven years ago, we were horrifically overcrowded; running near 300 inmates at times. Here we are seven years later, and, yes, we're overcrowded. The average jail population for 2010 was 379. There were over 400 inmates for a good portion of the year. The county politicos are trying to build a new community corrections center, which will hopefully help relieve some of the jail overcrowding. The cost of the new center will be in the ballpark of 5-8 million dollars. Not as much, but still a lot of money.

Alternative - programs, programs, programs. The cost - millions of dollars nationwide. Here's the catch. Most inmates attend the programs because, a) they are sentenced to do so; b) they think they'll get their time cut; or c) so they can get out of the cell block for a while to attend class. Hey! I didn't list "because they want to". Millions of dollars go down the toilet every year because inmates are forced to attend programs and have no interest in "changing". Their motives aren't pure. The money to fund programs kind of ebbs and flows. Programs exist, or not, depending on how much money is available. It is comical to me that an inmate will complain about not being able to attend the same program he attended the last time he was in jail because the program doesn't exist any more. Wait a minute. Wasn't the program designed to keep you from coming back to jail?!? I'm confused...

Understand that there are successes. Former inmates have overcome their addictions, educated themselves and become productive members of society, because...THEY WANTED TO. Unfortunately, these are, at best, a very small percentage of program participants.

I personally do not have much faith in programs. That said, I am trying to get any program I can into the jail. It is my responsibility to meet what is considered an industry standard.

So what should we do? Even with programs in existence, recidivism rates are over 50%. The door of the jail keeps revolving despite the best efforts of the "do-gooders" to force people to do what they really don't want to. Millions of dollars down the drain. Build more and bigger jails for tens or hundreds of millions of dollars a whack? Finally put "these people" away where they belong?

There is no clear answer.

Food for thought: It is believed that at least 40% of the population of our nation's jails and prisons have some form of mental illness. Would we be better served to build more psychiatric facilities, where those diagnosed with a MI could receive needed treatment while serving their sentences?

What do we do? I dunno...

Be careful out there.

Captain Bell

2010

2010-12-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

Well, it's less than 28 hours until the new year as I am writing this. I experienced things in 2010 that, although I knew would come, and would be difficult, didn't realize just how difficult. Taking hits in the media from those who try to discredit you, is a hard pill to take. The feeling is beyond expression when those hits are personal in nature and on a television news show. Howbeit untrue, still personal. Watching your family suffer from it makes one's stomach turn. You may ask "Why would someone try to annihilate another person for no apparent reason?" Because of the personal agendas held by the players. Each of their agendas is different from the other. I just happened to be the guy standing in the way when the goals on their agendas weren't met.

There's no two ways about it. Politics sucks. Plain and simple. I witnessed the Sheriff get hammered from all angles for the year prior to the election. Cheap shots taken by those whose agenda was to get their favorite candidate elected Sheriff. I took several such shots the 3-4 prior to the general election. People in politics do whatever it takes to advance their agenda. Watching these people at work could lead one to believe they are devoid of a soul. Of any hint of decency. The political arena is pure evil. When people get money and power, it is Satan's playground.

There are those who publicly berate you. The problem (for them) is they are usually so stupid they don't know when to shut up. Accusations made are soon debunked. In a short time the public recognizes them for the idiots they are. After a while, the negative things they say about you become positive in the public eye. The people of the public are not the morons some elected officials believe they are. They can see through the BS.

Worth watching are the ones that are back-stabbers; the ones that smile to your face, then stick the knife in when your back is turned. These people are not hard to spot. They think they're clever and have a special gift of not being suspected, but they stick out like a sore thumb. Their arrogance and egos won't allow them to see how obvious they are. Their actions can be quite entertaining at times.

Then, there is the true evil. The politicians that are established; that have been in office for a while. They have been elected several times and, for some reason, have the public trust. These are the slithering snakes in the pit. Politicians on this level have the ability to make others trust them, violate that trust, and then receive thanks from those whom they have screwed over. Shrewd, intelligent people. They will never get directly involved in lynching of other political officials, but will be a conduit to that end. They're very powerful because of their connections. And, they're make of Teflon. Nothing sticks to them. They think they are unstoppable. And, for all practical purposes, at least while in office, are.

The election is over, but these people won't stop. Let me relate a story: I was approached by one of our elected officials a couple of weeks ago. He handed me his business card with the name of a company that is being considered to build a new community corrections center written on the back. He told me that officials from the company would like to tour our county jail and would be there at a certain time on a certain day. Red flag. Why would someone who designs and builds correctional facilities want to tour a jail they have nothing to do with? Also, who is he to tell me, first, I will provide a tour, and secondly, when I will do it? I'm sure I would have been afforded the same discretion with his calendar (not!). I told him I would take care of it, but stewed about it the rest of the weekend. When the day and time came for the tour, I was busy confronting two fairly serious issues in the jail. I literally had no time to perform the tour. My assistant was sent to advise the people to reschedule. When it became apparent they were not being granted access to the jail, the people, according to my assistant, became quite indignant and began blasting him with questions. Red flag. Someone who builds jails should know schedules change and priorities have to be placed at times. A few of the questions involved the structure of the jail. That's fine, although we were waiting on my assistant to return so our meeting could continue. Then, the questions became in regards to jail operations, staff and inmate attitudes, etc. Red flag. Why would they care about such things? Here's the kicker. An elected official who has made no bones about his disdain of the Sheriff was with the group. Huge red flag! He was at the same function when I was told about the tour. Why didn't this official contact me? Why send someone else? Snakes are all over the place.

I have too much good work to do. Just leave me alone to do my job. Take your warped agendas elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong. 2010 has been a great year. I reassigned some staff, changed a few duties and instituted some new policies and procedures designed to make operations run more safely and efficiently. Successful attempts have been made to ease the overcrowding issue. The newly instituted staff training program was a huge success! The program is being expanded in 2011. We passed the state jail inspection with a perfect score. There were only two (2) violations cited in the inspection performed by the state fire marshal. Those had to be addressed with the maintenance department who has authority over those matters. Everything under my control was fine! Overall, things are pretty positive in the jail.

I've made new friends. My life and marriage are fantastic! I'm gainfully employed in a career that I have loved for some 27 years. I am physically able to type this blog.

All are reasons to be happy.

I am truly thankful for what I have. There will be negative aspects in every life. The critical thing is what we make of each situation.

I hope you continue to follow me in 2011. My hope is to be more consistent with this blog. Let me know what you want to hear about.

Happy Holidays!

Captain Bell

At The Conference

2010-12-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Hi, all! I'm waiting for my next class, so I thought I would write from the Indiana Sheriff's Association New Sheriff Conference in Indianapolis. Today is the last day. It's been very informative.

I don't know about other people in law enforcement, but I always leave these things a little bit paranoid. We are taught a lot about civil liability, how to avoid it and the ramifications thereof. Well, guess what?! There is no way possible to AVOID civil liability. The best we can do is damage control. Inmates, our biggest source of liability, sue for anything. The major issue is medical care. Which, by the way, cost wise is out of control. LaPorte County will spend in the ballpark of $700,000.00 this year on inmate medical care. That is $700,000.00 of taxpayer money, when we have good, hardworking people that are laid off, have lost insurance for their healthcare issues and cannot get an extension on their unemployment benefits. Anyway, lawsuits consist of anything from food issues, housing issues, to the fact that the telephone in the cellblock doesn't work today (It doesn't matter that we are in the process of getting it fixed). On and on and on. Fortunately, the vast majority of lawsuits are found to be frivolous. However, the taxpayers have to pay an attorney to defend each one of these cases. So, in essence, eventhough the inmate gets no monetary award, we taxpayers still lose.

Then there are the lawsuits that probably could be won, but a settlement is made in order to save the taxpayers money. Dollar for dollar it doesn't make sense to spend $50,000.00 on attorneys' fees when a $15,000.00 settlement will make the thing go away. These can be cases where someone made a mistake (All humans do). Believe it or not, the federal courts realize we are going to make mistakes. Usually, if no intention of doing wrong is shown, we can win those cases. This type of lawsuit could stem from a violation of written departmental policy and procedures. Keep in mind that we (The officers, Sheriff's Office and government in general) have to be perfect in everything. The inmates have no obligation to be right in anything.
And, most of the time, they aren't right.

Very frustrating.

Unfortunately, there are a few, very few, lawsuits that are legitimate (Depending on one's definition of legitimate). The taxpayers can pay big in these cases. Usually for this to happen, something termed "deliberate indifference" occurs on the part of an officer(s) and/or entity. Basically, "deliberate indifference" is defined as knowing something was wrong and not doing anything about it. An inmate usually has been hurt seriously in some manner, or may be dead, for these lawsuits to be won. It hurts, but it happens.

You can see the theme. The lawyers ALWAYS get a load of money, the inmate sometimes gets money, the taxpayers ALWAYS LOSE money. It ain't about justice, people. It's about who can spin the biggest load of BS. Even the lawyers will tell you that. It's a way of life in the INJUSTICE system.

The system is lawyer driven. The prosecutor, defense and judges (All the way to, and including, the Supreme Court) are lawyers. Many of your lawmakers are lawyers. It is assured that the lawyers will always win.

Don't lose heart. The officers in the jail, and on the street, work very hard to protect the public that they serve. I am very proud of the officers of my Sheriff's Office.

Once it gets into the hands of the lawyers, however, all bets are off.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

You want some cheese with that?

2010-09-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

This blog is not about parents whose child has messed up once, and is in need of attention. It is about those parents of child who choose to be chronic sucks on society.

Let the controversy begin:

About a month ago, I was beat up on in the newspaper by the mother of an inmate, who was complaining about the poor food, lack of programs, medical care and general conditions in the jail. By the way, the jail meets or exceeds all state and federal standards on all of these. Anyway, mom blasted us for not being able to rehabilitate her daughter. Well, daughter has been in jail for now the 20th, yes that's 20, times. Most of the arrests are substance abuse related.

In a rebuttal to the newspaper about her article, I pointed out that a county jail cannot even begin to help her daughter with a life-long substance abuse problem. She needs intensive, in-house, on-going treatment that only a professional mental health facility can provide. I inquired as to why it is her feeling that society is responsible (and the taxpayers' money) for rehabilitating someone who chooses to habitually violate the law. I also asked where she is when the daughter is not in jail. Why is she not helping? Probably because the daughter doesn't want help.

Something that needs to be said here is that I am not blaming mom. She probably did the best that she could raising her child. It gets to the point, however, when children start making their own decisions. Parents do not necessarily have control of this. The whole issue is about choice. Mom's motherly instinct is to protect her child. I understand. Mom frantically wants her daughter to get better and does not know what to do. It must be very difficult. She should not blame the courts, police or the jail for her child's choice of life style, however. The sole responsibility is that of her child.

It is sad that mom has to deal with this emotional issue.

Unfortunately, this type of situation is not uncommon. I receive complaints all the time about jail food, medical care, etc. from parents of inmates. Many of these inmates are habitual criminals with many incarcerations to their credit...choices they have made. While the children suck the life out of the taxpayers' budget, the parents worry and fret. It is the children that bear the responsibility for mom and dad's woes.

The whining continues, however. The courts are unfair. The police are out to get their child. The jail food stinks. The medical is substandard. Jail officers are rude. I am a cold hearted &*#!$%. I think I've heard it all in 2 1/2 years as jail commander.

The fact is this: Jail simply isn't a very nice or convenient place to be. It's not intended to be. Even the Supreme Court says so.

Parents, I'm sorry for the emotional wear and tear you endure because of your childrens' misbehavior. But, don't take it out on me, or anyone else for that matter. It is your child's fault.

Stop your whining.

Not very PC, huh?

Let's be careful out there.

Captain Bell

Trafficking Bust

2010-08-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, officers recently caught an inmate in the act of bringing illegal contraband into the jail. I didn't post the info sooner because the investigation was on-going.

Sergeant Moarine Fick, Corporal Vicki Stantz and Officer Mike Woday noticed that a “trustee” inmate was acting in an unusual manner while waiting in the booking area to take trash out of the facility. When taken outside of the jail building to the dumpster, the inmate continued to act in the unusual manner. He attempted to walk ahead of Corporal Stantz, who was escorting other trustees. He attempted to hide behind the dumpster.

Upon returning to the booking area of the jail, the inmates were escorted to the shower area to be searched before being taken their cellblock. Officer Woday noticed the inmate reach into the front of his pants as he entered the shower area. The officer then heard a noise like something hitting the bottom of the plastic trash can located inside of the shower entrance.

The Officer Woday later discovered a bag in the shower room trash can that contained the following:

· 2 plastic bags containing about ¾ ounce of marijuana;
· 2 unopened pouches of loose-leaf tobacco;
· 2 unopened packs of cigarette rolling papers;
· 1 cigarette lighter

The inmate involved is not cooperating with the investigation. It is presumed that the contraband items were placed at the dumpster by an outside source. Officers are unable to determine who that person or persons may be. It is unknown how long this activity may have been going on.

The inmate has been removed from trustee status and placed in general population. He will be prosecuted by the Disciplinary Hearing Board (DHB).

The entire incident was recorded on the recently installed digital video recording system. The recordings are being used in the investigation and will be viewed by the DHB prior to it making a decision. The DVR system has proven to be a very valuable tool.

Sheriff Mollenhauer commends Sergeant Fick, Corporal Stantz and Officer Woday for using their training, experience and intuition to successfully bring an end to the inmate’s actions. “If these officers had not been paying attention, the items would have made it into the general population of the jail”, says Sheriff Mollenhauer.

Video Arraignment

2010-07-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

The video arraignment system has become a very useful tool. It increases the efficiency of jail and court room operations, and is invaluable in our constant effort to make our working environment safer and more secure.

The purpose of the video arraignment system is to have inmates make their court appearances via video. The judge is in the court room and the inmate is in the secure jail. The judge and inmate watch each other on a television screen during the hearing. There is full audio; they can speak to each other.

A state statute (law) regulates the use of video arraignment. This useful tool can be used in the following circumstances:

Initial hearings;
Pre-trial conferences;
The taking of a plea of guilty on a misdemeanor charge;
Sentencing hearings when the defendant (the inmate) has given a written waiver of his or her right to be present in person, and the prosecution has consented;
Post-conviction hearings, with the written consent of the parties.

Video arraignment can also be used for hearings regarding certain mental health emergency issues that are not necessarily related to a criminal charge.

The individual court judges decide under which circumstances to use the video arraignment system. Each court is a little different. Courts are not required by law to use the system.

A total of 1,467 inmates have made video court appearances since January 1st of this year. That's about 2,800 per year. The average is 11-12 per day. On several occasions, 36 inmates have been arraigned by video in a single day. On those days 36 inmates would have needed to be transported to court if the system was not available. Imagine the safety and security issues prevented! This is not to mention transportation, overtime, etc. costs that are saved. Those tax dollars can be used elsewhere.

It is my hope that, in time, the law will be revised to accommodate more useage of the video arraigment. In these days of lean budgets, using technology to more efficiently use tax dollars only makes sense.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

Community Work Program

2010-06-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

With the Community Work Program (CWP) we actually get something for the money taxpayers pay to support those who cannot get along in society.

The CWP is operated by one of the jail officers, Officer Bob Blair. Officer Blair has 4-5 inmates that he takes into the community to perform a variety of tasks, free of charge. Inmates that participate in this program have been sentenced to do their time at the county jail. No one that has committed a violent crime is accepted into the program. The inmates work from about 7:30 AM to 3:30 -4:30 in the afternoon.

Officer Blair has a pickup truck assigned to him that is stocked with the tools that are needed. He has chain saws, electric drills, electric saws, hand tools, etc. (Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor would be envious...ar, ar, ar, ar, ar). On occasion, tools like a Bobcat loader that belongs to the county highway department has been used for certain projects.

Following are just some things the inmates in the CWP do and have done:

Mow the grass at our gun firing range.
Projects for volunteer fire departments, Salvation Army, Historical Society and several other not-for-profit organizations.
Certain maintenance projects (painting, landscape maintenance, general cleaning, etc.) at the jail, county complex and county home.
Furniture moving for all county offices.
Snow removal for the elderly and infirm.
Many projects at the county fairgrounds.

This is a very short list. I have not even begun to do the program justice for all the things done for the community.

The CWP program recently finished a very big project; one that has taken over a year to complete. We now have a "shoot house" at our firearms range. It is constructed from thousands of railroad ties, all donated by the railroad. The walls are constructed of two layers of the railroad ties with sand in between. The "house" has different rooms where targets are set up. We can shoot at the targets while practicing building searches. The construction of the "house" keeps the bullets from going where we don't want them to.

The great thing is that the labor for all of these projects is free. The only cost is for the purchase of materials that aren't donated. And, who knows. Maybe it will teach someone who knows only a life of crime that with hard work, good things can happen. After all, that is what the program is about. Improving the quality of life and helping the community.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

Intelligence, but no smarts

2010-06-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

When the human mind is idle, with nothing to do, wonderful (but not necessarily good) ideas can develop.

Case in point. An inmate, who has been here umpteen times, recently did some creative things in the male infirmary. Let me preface with the fact that this inmate was in the infirmary due to rectal bleeding which, was caused by him bringing into the jail, tobacco and a cigarette lighter, yes that's a cigarette lighter, that were stuffed up his rear end. This same guy used the broken ear piece from a pair of reading glasses to remove several "tamper proof" screws from the shower, junction boxes and the bathroom ceiling. Keep in mind that the maintenance staff has difficulty removing the screws even when using the tool designed for that purpose. He hid the tobacco, lighter and the face plate from a door (Which was broken in half. The broken ends were very sharp. It made for a very dangerous weapon) in the junction boxes and bathroom ceiling. A screw that was about 8" long was found with the face plate in the ceiling. We can't figure out where the screw came from. The theory is that it may have been left over from the 2004 jail renovation. Anyway, the inmate also broke out the speaker grid on the front of the TV. He pulled wires out and aligned them so when touched together the TV channel changed.

It is obvious that the guy is creative and intelligent. He just has no smarts. I wonder what his life would be like if he used his gift for good instead of evil...

What your butts out there. :-)

Captain Bell

Jail Staff

2010-05-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the inconsistent blog. Things have been pretty wild and wooly around here for the last week or so.

Let's talk today about my staff. Including myself, there are 74 of us in the jail. All officers are sworn deputies of the sheriff.

There are 3 permanent shifts: 5:45 AM - 2:00 PM, 1:45 PM - 10:00 PM and 9:45 PM - 6:00 AM. The purpose of the fifteen minute overlap is to pass on information between the shifts and to count inmates. Each shift is managed by 3 supervisors; a sergeant and 2 corporals. Day shift has a total of 21 officers, afternoons shift 19 officers and midnight shift 15 officers.

There are 4 of us in the administrative office. Me as Jail Commander, the assistant jail commander who is a sergeant and is responsible for day-to-day jail operations, the training and safety sergeant and the secretary.

One officer is responsible for all inmate laundry and for inmate commissary.

One officer is responsible for cleaning the jail.

One officer is the Coordinator of Inmate Services (GED and drug classes, counseling, etc.).

One officer is the supervisor of the community work program. He supervises inmates that do work for county offices and not-for-profit charitable organizations.

One inmate classification officer.

One officer is an IT officer.

There are 2 nurses and 1 nursing assistant.

There are 6 officers responsible for transporting inmates to court.

That sums it up. I hope to be more consistent with blogging. Friday SHOULD be blog day.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

DVR system

2010-05-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

Finally! Phase one of the DVR (Digital Video Recording) system installation starts on Wednesday! I started working on the project in March or April of 2008. Here's some background:

The jail was renovated in 2004 to the tune of about $28 million. The renovation included the installation of 205 cameras in the jail and around the inside and outside of the county complex. Well, no recording system was installed. The money was budgeted in the original proposal, but none of the politicians seem to know why the DVR system was never installed. Go figure. We currently record only two cameras with VCR's that require the tapes to be replaced every 24 hours. So, consequently, we have 203 cameras that are only good for viewing. The cameras are a very useful tool, but will be much more viable with the DVR.

Sometime in the middle of 2009 the county council approved the company Miner Electronics to install the system. Miner Electronics' bid is for about $275,000. The council approved a whopping $0.00 (Yes, that's zero) for the project, however. To be fair, this is not necessarily the council's fault. LaPorte County is under an extreme budget crunch like other municipalities. After months of fruitless attempts to obtain money through grants and additional requests to the council, Sheriff Mollenhauer has decided to use approximately $80,000 of commissary money for installation of the first phase.

This phase includes recording the sally port (garage area where prisoners are brought into the jail), booking area, all cellblocks and some other areas. A total of 96 cameras will be recorded when phase one is complete. This is a huge step in the right direction!

The system will store about 45 days of recordings and allow us to burn DVD's with images of significant incidents that occur in the jail. The recordings will make the associated investigations much quicker, easier and better documented. Invariably, most incidents we investigate are based on the statements of inmates. He said, she said. Information from dishonest people (which is the reason they're here in the first place) who lie about the facts. Sometimes they lie, just to lie. They don't want to cooperate with "The Man" (law enforcement) in any way, shape or form. Sometimes, it is a survival mechanism. They don't want to be labeled as a "snitch" in the environment that is dominated by the state of mind of simply being contrary to "The Man". But I digress... Another big advantage for the taxpayers and the department is the recordings can be very helpful with preventing successful lawsuits. Any story that the Liars come up with can either be confirmed or denyed simply by viewing the recording. Even the Ambulance Chasers who stuff their pockets with money from filing these cases (Uh, I mean attorneys who are inmate advocates. Sorry about not being PC) will have to be more responsible if the facts are right in front of their faces. Complaints against officers by the inmates will be recorded in the event an officer is accused of impropriety. The recordings can be used for training purposes in the correct, and not so correct ways to do things. Officer safety will be enhanced.

Phase 1 is just the start. There is obviously a lot more work to do. With the current politician propagated property tax debacle, it is unknown when funds are going to be available to complete the project. When the money does come into the general fund, the county council will have at least 3-4 years of projects that have been put on hold that need attention. Expenditure of the money will have to be prioritized. Not an easy task. Also, it will take a while to build up the commissary fund again in order to do another phase of the project.

In the mean time, we'll be eons ahead of where we were.

Be safe!

Captain Bell

Domestic Violence

2010-04-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

Domestic violence is a nasty, dirty reality in today's society.

You may have read a Tweet by Sheriff Mollenhauer that LaPorte County had 3 homicides in 2009 - all the result of domestic violence. There were two separate incidents. In one, the estranged husband shot and killed his wife and her alleged boyfriend. He is now in the jail facing murder charges. The other resulted in a woman being shot to death, while sitting in her car with the couple's kids sitting in the backseat. The man committed suicide a short time later.

This makes me sick. Yes, LaPorte County has a problem...just like the rest of the nation. Eleven percent of the current inmate population in the LaPorte County Jail is being held for some type of violent crime that could be related to domestic violence. These charges include domestic violence (10), battery, intimidation, sexual battery, trespass, invasion of privacy (violation of a protective order) and murder (2 domestic related - one from 2008 that is still pending). Admittedly, I would have to do several hours of research to have truly accurate stats, but this gives you some idea of the violent society in which we live. Keep in mind that these are the ones that have been arrested. We have warrants for others, and what is huge, it is speculated that there are many, many, many domestic violence crimes that go unreported.

Here are some stats:

Every 9 seconds in the U.S. a woman is assaulted or beaten.
Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Most often, the abuser is a member of her family.
Domestic Violence is the leading cause of injury to women - more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.
Everyday in the U.S., more than three women are murdered by their husbands.
Domestic violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the U.S. alone - the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs.
Read this: Based on report from 10 countries, between 55% and 95% of women who had been physically abused by their partners never reported the incident to anyone.

As I said. Domestic violence is a "HUGE" problem.

The reasons that domestic violence goes unreported are many. Many victims stay because:

The victim fears losing her children, or that they will be abused by the abuser if she leaves.
The victim may not have the financial resources, access to alternative support or skills to secure a job.
Religious beliefs.
Friends and family may not support the victim's leaving.
The victim may have grown up with violence and considers it "normal".
The victim may not want the relationship to end.
The victim may feel shame about being abused and reluctant to let anyone know.
The victim may not know who to turn to for help.
There may be language barriers that prevent seeking help or independence, or the victim may fear being deported.

Abuser psychological control of the victim and the victim's fear play a big part in the victim staying. You have to keep in mind that domestic violence causes severe emotional and psychological trauma as well. The victim often feels isolated and helpless. Leaving the situation is harder than one may think.

The warning signs of an abusive relationship can be:

Verbal Abuse - The abuser puts down the victim by calling her names, constantly criticizing her, provoking public or private humiliation, or making her feel "crazy".
Bruises and injuries - The victim often has bruises and injuries that can't be explained, or offers weak excuses for them.
Violent Temper - The abuser has threatened to hurt the victim, her children, family members, friends or pets. The abuser blames the victim and other people for everything, and gets angry in a way that scares her or other people.
Controlling Behavior - The abuser checks up on the victim constantly by asking about her whereabouts, calling her at work or on her cell phone, checking her car mileage and listening to her phone calls. The abuser manages all the finances and monitors her spending.
Extreme Jealousy - The abuser acts jealous or possessive, often accusing the victim of flirting or having affairs.
Isolation - The abuser tells her not to see certain friends or family members, keeps her away from school or work and makes her stay home when she wants to go out.
Emotional Changes - The victim seems to be on edge or fearful, or becomes quiet when the partner is around.
Behavior of the Children - The children of an abuse victim frequently get into trouble at school or are quiet and withdrawn and don't get along with other children.

If you know someone that fits this description contact someone. You may save a life. At the very least you may make someones life much more pleasant.

If you are a victim, please get help.

Here is some local contact information:

Victim's Advocates: LaPorte - 325-9160, Michigan City - 874-5611 ext. 7808, LaPorte County - 326-6808 ext. 342 or 873-7014 ext. 342
Stepping Stone Shelter for Women: 879-4615 or 1-800-248-1151
Women's Care Center: 874-4646 or 324-4646
Dept. of Child Services: 326-5870 or 879-5351
Dunebrook Parent Information Center: 874-0007 or 1-800-897-0007

Contact your local police department 24 hours per day. Just dial 9-1-1. Please do not be afraid to call.

Thank you to the Avon Foundation for these statistics and information, much of it word-for-word, as taken from their publication "You ARE NOT Alone". Go to www.avonfoundation.org for more information.

Captain Bell

Mental Illness in Jail

2010-04-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

It's Friday blog time! It's been a busy, productive week.

I want to talk today about the mentally ill who are arrested and brought to jail. First, I have very little formal training in the field of mental health. All I have to offer is personal experience in dealing with these unfortunate individuals. I am no expert by any definition of the word.

Several years ago I was told that approximately 40% of those held in penal facilities suffer from some form of mental illness. I believe that figure is actually much higher. It seems that as time goes along we receive more and more individuals who range from "just not quite right" (my wording) to those who need extensive in-house, long-term therapy. These individuals do commit crimes. Some commit very serious crimes. But, others are held here for long period of time on minor charges with a very small bond amount. The issue is two-fold: 1) Public safety; 2) The safety of the arrested mentally ill individual.

Unfortunately, in Indiana, we in the "justice" system have few options that allow us to help the mentally ill. Indiana statute does allow a police officer to "in good faith" take a mentally ill individual into custody for a 24 hour period of time without that individual committing a crime. The individual has to be a danger to himself or others because of his mental condition. It is a difficult decision for a police officer, who recieves limited training in the mental health field, to make these decisions. The procedure is to take the individual to the nearest hospital emergency room to be assessed by a doctor. The doctor can then either start the procedure for an emergency detention 72-hour detention or release the individual. Forms are completed by the doctor that are forwarded to a judge for approval. Once the judge issues the emergency detention order, the individual is taken to a mental health facility for treatment. Many times the individuals are assessed and prescribed medications that make them "normal" and able to care for themselves. They no longer are a danger to themselves or society at that point. The unfortunate thing is that many, due to their condition, have no friends, and family has chosen to have no contact with them. With no support system, it is quite common that the individuals stop taking prescribed medications, which starts the cycle all over again.

The other eventuality is that the individual is simply released from the emergency room, back to the street, if the doctor deems him/her to not be a danger.

You might ask why more individuals are not taken to the hospital for evaluation in lieu of being arrested. Many are either very intoxicated and/or violently fighting with the police when brought to jail. It is not until they sober up and/or settle down that it is realized they have a deeper problem. By then they're already charged with a crime and setting in jail. In an earlier blog, I talked about the fact that the taxpayers fund all inmate medical costs. The same would apply if we commit a person that is already in jail. Tax dollars would pay for the treatment, only to possibly have the cycle start all over again after the person is released from jail.

We have limited success through the court system in having these individuals committed to a state hospital for treatment. There are two unfortunate circumstances: the lack of space at the state hospitals and the fact that a person will sit in jail 30 - 60 days after being ordered to the hospital by a judge. Keep in mind that the ones that are committed, are the "worst of the worst". There is a good number individuals who need the long-term help that never receive it because their condition just isn't bad enough.

Without a court order, we cannot force feed psychotropic medications (or any medication for that matter) to someone who doesn't want their medication. It is an unusual situation. Those who cannot think for themselves or provide their own care, have the right to refuse the medication that would make them be able to think for and care for themselves. This is another product of the federal courts. Judges are very hesitant to issue orders for jail personnel to force feed medications. I've dealt with these issues several times.

Long story short, there is a lack of facilities to treat mentally ill individuals. We should be building more mental health facilities instead of jails and prisons. I am not saying that people should be able to use mental illness as an excuse to commit a crime. These individuals just need to be handled a little differently by the system.

Be safe!

Captain Bell

Prohibited Contrband/Paraphernalia In The Jail

2010-04-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Contraband. An on-going problem.

Contraband takes many forms in the jail. The general rule is that contraband is anything that is illegal, dangerous, potentially dangerous or against facility rules. The rules are in place to, of course, prevent problems. A lot of the rules have come from incidents that have occured. Basically, us trying to learn from our experiences.

Contraband takes on many forms. Illegal drugs, cigarettes, cigarette lighters, pieces of metal (predominately staples), etc. The biggie now is cellphones. Although, we have had no problems in this regard. Illegal drugs are self-explanatory. Cigarettes are against the county policy of a smoke-free premisis. Cigarette lighters can be used to start fires, and, make an explosive. The pieces of metal make a good weapon to use against other inmates and officers (And, on occasion, on themselves). Inmates can take the staples from a magazine and stick them in an electrical outlet to start a fire, use them as a weapon or, as a crude but effective tool to make tatoos.

Sometimes, something that originally is not contraband becomes contraband. We serve juice for breakfast. The juice can be used to make what is called "hooch", an alcoholic drink. I don't understand the fermentation process, but I know it works. Too many piles of paperwork, books, magazines, etc. are a potential fire hazard. Inmates are limited to two books in possession at one time. They can only have 15 letters in their possession. Inmates tear up sheets and towels to make ropes. I don't think I have to mention what a rope might be used for by a mentally ill inmate... They put bars of soap in a sock to make a very effective weapon. Playing cards used to play hearts, euchre, etc. are OK. When used for gambling, cards become contraband. Why is gambling prohibited? Because inmates get into fights over unpaid debts. Many will bet a meal while gambling. We have the obligation to make sure the inmates receive proper nutriton; even despite themselves.

I know this begs the question: How does the contraband get into the jail? I have to be honest. Most of the time, it is due to an officer missing a piece of contraband when performing a search of the inmate. A simple mistake. But, a mistake that can be dangerous. Also, I hate to admit, there have been incidents of officers trafficking with the inmates. Obviously, those officers no longer work here and have been prosecuted for their actions. We have not had an incident of officer trafficking in several years.

I'll relate to you a story about how inmates brought marijuana, tobacco and lighters into the jail. We have trustee inmates that perform various duties throughout the jail. One of these duties is to carry out the trash. About a year and a half ago, a trustee inmate made arrangements with his girlfriend via telephone to hide the items under the left front edge of the dumpster located outside of the jail building in which we put the jail trash. The officer escorted 3 trustees to the dumpster. While one was distracting the officer by talking to him, another feigned dropping his garbage bags, picked up the contraband and placed it in his pants. The trustee then brought the items into the jail and distributed it to the cellblocks. One inmate distracted the officer while the other gave the contraband to inmates while passing out food trays. This happened a couple of times before we were tipped off by another trustee of the activity. We did a sting one morning and caught the inmate with the contraband in the crotch of his pants. The investigation revealed that there were five inmates involved in the operation. All were disciplined by taking away their "good time" (a future blog topic). There's a reason we did not file "outside charges" (Additional charges through court. Another future blog topic). More is actually accomplished by taking good time away. Naturally, the participants were removed from trustee status. Why would an inmate give the contraband to inmates in other cellblocks? The inmate receiving the contraband pays for it by having someone put money in the contraband distributor's commissary account. In other cases, inmates are "strong-armed" (Bullied) into providing the contraband.

A short editorial on my part: If we had the DVR recording system in place, which the county council will not fund, we would have the footage of the incidents on DVD. That would make the incidents much easier and faster to investigate, and make a better case. 'nuff about that.

There are many, many other incidents and types of contraband that I have not mentioned. This gives you some idea, however, of what we deal with on a daily basis.

I hope all is well.

Be safe!

Captain Bell

Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer Guest Blog

2010-04-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I'm Mike Mollenhauer, the Sheriff of LaPorte County, Indiana. The first 3+ years as sheriff have been very eventful and satisfying. I look forward to work everyday. It is fulfilling to know that I can make a difference in people's lives and society in general.

A little about my career. I have about 40 years experience in the law enforcement field. My law enforcement career started with the sheriff's department. Over the years, I worked as a patrol officer, a patrol shift commander, detective and arson investigator. I retired from the department with the rank of captain. After leaving the department I became the Chief of the Bremen, Indiana Police Department. I left Bremen after about 5 years and worked as a security officer at the federal courthouses in South Bend and Hammond. I left courthouse security when elected sheriff.

Be careful this week. The kids are on spring break. Watch for bicycles, kids and balls going into the roadway, etc. Also, the farmers are getting into full swing. There will be a lot of slow-moving farm machinery traveling on the roadways. Exercise a little extra caution when driving.

I look forward to hearing from you! Give me your comments and questions. If I don't have an answer, I'll get one for you.

Sheriff Mollenhauer

Inmate Telephone System

2010-03-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone. Based on my last blog, it has been a rather long WEEK.

I want to talk today about the inmate telephone system. There was a feature a week or two ago on the Today Show about a prison inmate who was scamming elderly people into sending him money by pretending to be their grandson. Thanks to the phone system in place he was identified and the activity was stopped.

The sheriff has taken a beating lately on the expense of the phone system. The system IS costly. The Sheriff's Department does profit from the system. The profit is used to purchase equipment, cell phone services, K-9 dog food, computers and other things that would otherwise be funded by tax dollars. It also provides us with valuable information. The situation in the above paragraph is just one example. Inmate conversations have been successfully used in investigations of crimes and court cases. Don't worry Do-gooders. It is legal and within the realm of an individual's constitutional rights. When they make their phone call, there is a digital voice disclaimer that states by using the phone they understand what is said is being recorded and may be used against them.

The company we use for our inmate phone system is Securus Technologies. The company specializes in inmate phone systems. All inmates must call "collect" when calling out. By accepting the phone call, the receiver agrees to pay all associated fees and expenses. Basically, we can monitor and use the information while it is being paid for by those who are the problem in the first place.

It is said that this places an additional burden on the families of the inmates. Maybe so. This is very unfortunate. But, society (the taxpayers) picks up most of the bill for housing, feeding, providing medical care and funding the police departments and the courts that are necessary to deal with the irresponsible ways they conduct their lives. I think it is only fair that the inmates pay part of the total bill. And, actually, a very very small percentage of the total cost.

Sheriff Mollenhauer will guest blog on Monday April 5th. Make sure you chime in with your ideas/comments.

Be safe!

Captain Bell

Sheriff's responsibilities

2010-03-01T04:46:00.000-08:00

Most people don't know the responsibilites of the Sheriff. Most attention is given to the road patrol aspect of the Sheriff's Office. After all, these officers are on the front line providing services to the community. They are the one's that you see, and may have contact with at some time or other (The vast majority of the time this contact is NOT negative or confrontational in nature; contrary to what some people believe).

However, believe it or not, providing patrol officer services is not the Sheriff's main responsibility. At it's inception, the traditional responsibilities of the Sheriff were:

Administration of the county jail
Serving the courts and the service of all court paperwork (arrest warrants, etc.), and
The service of all civil process (Divorce decrees, lawsuits, etc.)

You'll see that providing patrol officers is not included in the list. Patrol responsibilities fell on the state police. It is a given that this set up is not feasible in today's world. At any one time, there may be only 2 - 5 State Police Officers on duty. Additionally, the state police district for this area includes LaPorte, Porter and Lake Counties. As you can imagine, the service to the public would be mediocre at best. I'm not slamming the state police and the quality of service they provide. Just stating facts. The Sheriff's Office has problems at times due to high call loads providing timely service.

I'll post again in about a week. Don't forget to check out my Twitter account.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

Safety tips

2010-02-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

This has floated around on the internet for quite some time. Here are some safety tips for the ladies:

Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
Learned this from a tourist guide: If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you. Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives. (This cannot be done on all cars).
Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc). DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
If someone is in the car with a gun to your head, DO NOT DRIVE OFF. Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.
A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
Be aware: Look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT! (Yes, an attacker can stop and elevator. Look for the “stop” button while pushing the button for the floor you intend to go. You’ll know where to start the elevator again. Notes: If the door opens and a someone that is on the elevator gives you the creeps, don’t get on. You can get the next elevator. Same thing if you’re already on the elevator. If someone creepy gets on, you can get off and catch another elevator).
If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control. ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zigzag pattern!
As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you into a bad situation. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.
Water scam! If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.

Do not be paranoid!! Just stay alert and aware of your surroundings. It is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that any of these things will happen. Just be mindful of the information.

Stay safe!

Captain Bell

Religion in Jail

2010-01-22T04:38:00.000-08:00

It's Friday and that means it's blog day. The practice of religion by inmates in the jail is becoming an issue. The main issue right now is more and more inmates asking for a pork-free diet so they can practice the Muslim Religion. Federal court decisions are, as usual, about as clear as mud on the issue. There are decisions by several of the federal circuit courts located in variouis parts of the country, as well as the Supreme Court. We have to keep abreast of all the decisions or risk the chance of being sued - both professionally and personally. I am not slamming the courts. The main gist of a totality of all the decisions is: The courts generally defer to the knowledge and experience of jail/prison administrators, require that the inmate is sincere in the practice of the religion, religious practice cannot compromise the security, safety and operation of the facility. The standard is "A compelling governmental interest" when deciding to allow religious practices.

I think this shows that the courts are supporting jail and prison officials and are in touch with the realities of the issue.

We cannot, however, deny religious practice based on a mere inconvenience to us. Providing non-pork meals is just that; an inconvenience. We have to order and prepare special food that is not purchased in bulk. This raises the cost of the meal. This cost is negligible at worst, however.

That's it for this week. Check out http://local.nixle.com/city/in/laporte for local crime activity in your area.

Captain Bell

Inmate medical costs

2010-01-15T04:22:00.000-08:00

The medical costs that are paid from the taxpayers pockets are a lot more than one would think. I haven't received the final tally for 2009 yet, but we were on track to spend about $550,000, yes, $550,000. That comes directly out of the county's general fund, and your pocket as a taxpayer.

Generally, we are budgeted at the first of the year for $150,000 for inmate medical costs. As you can see, it is necessary to ask for additional funding during the year. I want to make it clear that it is the decisions of the federal judges that have caused this situation. Federal decisions dictate that the taxpayers are responsible for an inmate's medical care and associated costs the minute he/she walks through the door. We have no choice but to ask for additional funds; the county council has no choice but to fund the medical costs. If we don't, we are in violation of federal law and subject to negligence lawsuits by the inmates - which would actually cost much more than the $550,000 to defend. We take steps to mitigate these costs, and, with the exception of one, the local judges are very receptive to the issue when sentencing or deciding whether to hold a person in jail. There are cases, however, where the judges don't have much discretion due to manditory jail time outlined by law, or the inmate has committed a crime for which we don't want him released from jail.

The Sheriff's Office has a contract with a firm named American Correctional Healthcare (ACH). ACH negotiates and contracts with the local hospitals and doctors' offices for the cost of services. We purchase our medical supplies through a company that is contracted with ACH. The jail doctor is provided by ACH. The costs are kept down as much as possible.

The medical department and I are in agreement that it seems we are getting sicker people into the jail on a regular basis. People come here with diabetes, heart conditions, needing dialysis, HIV and AIDS, and other chronic illnesses that cost A LOT of money to treat. We are currently trying to get three inmates sent to prison that are costing us about $28,000 per month. Unfortunately, we will still pay for their care from the taxpayers' pockets, but at least the money won't come from our local fund. We recently paid to have a stent inserted in to the heart of an inmate with a heart condition. Were waiting for the bill on that one. There is a statute that allows us to charge inmates a $15.00 co-pay for medical care and medications, but that doesn't even begin to cover the costs. We don't collect this fee from many of the inmates because they are indigent.

There is a dentist that comes to the jail once a week to treat inmates. We pay for that also, minus the co-pay.

Inmate medical care is a tough issue. A person loses medcaid benefits while incarcerated. Many that we treat would die or suffer greatly without proper medical care. We can't have that happening. No matter what you think about this issue, we are a society of people who are entitled to and believe strongly in human rights and the human condition. And, that's the way it should be.

So, what do we do?

Regards,

Captain Bell

Facts

2010-01-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

I don't have a good answer regarding a local methadone clinic. I imagine it has to do with money. Gary and Valparaiso are probably considered central locations for this region.

There are 328 inmates today; 40 women, 288 men. The percentage stays about the same as the population fluctuates.

Individuals from 16 years old to people in their 80's are incarcerated in the jail. The vast majority are between 20 and 40. We don't have juveniles (Under 18 years old) very often. Juveniles are housed in the jail only under very specific circumstances. The laws are very clear. This is good since most juveniles don't belong in an adult facility. The Department of Justice is trying to get legislation passed so juveniles will be housed in juvenile facilities no matter what the charge. This would be better for everyone involved.

Charges for individuals incarcerated in the jail range from public intoxication to murder. The maximum amount of time an inmate spends in the jail is about 2 years. Some will stay longer on occasion. The county jail is generally considered a holding facility while the inmates finish their case in court. The population is very transient. After sentencing, the inmate is usually given time served and released from custody, sentenced to do time in the jail, or sentenced to prison.

Keep in touch.

Captain Bell

I thought this might be of interest to you

2010-01-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Here's what was in the LaPorte Herald Argus http://www.heraldargus.com/ regarding the article about my twitter account (@CaptainBell). Click on "Twitter Page Gives Glimpse Into Jail". Just a day in my life as jail commander.

First blog

2010-01-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

January 6, 2010 11:25 AM. This is the first entry into the new LaPorte County Jail blog. I intend to use this forum to pass information to the public in an attempt to keep everyone informed about what goes on in a jail, case law, etc.

I would like to hear from you. Please ask questions and make comments. Two things I will not address: I will not talk about politics and will not respond to someone who is just being plain nasty.

Just a little background on the jail: It has an inmate capacity of 368. There are 340 inmates here today. The jail was renovated in 2004. Before renovation the jail capacity was about 130 inmates. There were always more than 200 inmates being held at that time. Yikes! A real problem which prompted the 20-plus million dollar renovation. We're a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week operation. We're never closed. Including myself, there are 74 employees working in the jail.

That's it for now. You can also follow me on Twitter.

I hope to hear from you.

Captain Bell