Department Order 112 - Department Meetings

	CHAPTER: 110 AGENCY ADMINISTRATION/MANAGEMENT	OPR: DIR
DEPARTMENT ORDER MANUAL	DEPARTMENT ORDER: 112 *DEPARTMENT MEETINGS*	SUPERSEDES: DO 112, 05/26/97
		EFFECTIVE DATE: MARCH 23, 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	PURPOSE
	PROCEDURES
112.01	AGENCY MEETING SCHEDULE AND PRIORITY
112.02	STAFF MEETINGS
112.03	CORRECTIONAL OFFICER I AND II MEETINGS

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Department Order is to assist agency managers in scheduling appropriate meetings involving various levels of supervisory staff. Meetings shall be used to distribute information, make decisions, encourage the exchange of ideas and encourage better communication within the Department. The meetings identified in this Department Order shall be convened, shall take priority over any other business (excluding emergencies) and shall be canceled only in an emergency. When the regular chairperson is absent, the next individual in the chain of command shall preside at the meeting.

PROCEDURES

112.01 AGENCY MEETING SCHEDULE AND PRIORITY

1.1 An Executive Staff meeting, conducted by the Director, shall be held bi-weekly. Attendees shall include the Director, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, the Regional Operations Directors, the Public Information Officer, the Legislative Liaison, the Office of Strategic Planning and Budget Administrator and the Attorney General Liaison. The purpose of this meeting is to share information and make decisions.

1.2 The Administrators meeting shall be held quarterly. Attendees include the Director, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Regional Operations Directors, Regional Health Administrators, Wardens, Deputy Wardens and Bureau Administrators. Private prison management may also be included. The purpose of this meeting is for the Director, Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors to provide information on different administrative topics. Other attendees may present issues as scheduled or needed.

1.2.1 The Chief of Staff shall prepare the agenda. The Deputy Directors shall provide agenda items at least one week prior to each meeting.

1.2.2 The Director shall have final approval authority for the agenda and shall determine what training, if any, shall be conducted at the meeting.

1.3 Special meetings may be convened, as needed, and may be held in conjunction with the Executive Staff meeting or the Administrators meeting. These meetings shall be held to make decisions on issues that are of major impact, such as new construction or budget requirements. Attendees shall include the Director, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors and other staff as required. Minutes may be taken for special meetings; a summary shall be distributed to those in attendance and shall be considered confidential.

1.4 Wardens shall ensure that briefings and or shift meetings are conducted in accordance with Department Order #105, Information Reporting or other written instruction as appropriate.

112.02 STAFF MEETINGS - Wardens, Deputy Wardens, Bureau Administrators, supervisors and other staff shall meet with their staff as necessary. New developments, written instructions, decisions and other issues shall be discussed at these meetings so that interaction may occur between management and staff.

1.1 Deputy Wardens, Associate Deputy Wardens, Chiefs of Security and EEO Liaisons shall attend shift meetings in conjunction with mandatory shift tours as required by Department Order #703, Security/Facility Inspections.

1.2 On a quarterly basis, Wardens shall conduct separate meetings with Lieutenants and Sergeants to ascertain their compliance with written instructions, particularly as it pertains to security matters and professional conduct in relationship to sexual harassment, unprofessional conduct of staff (to include hazing, discrimination and/or favoritism), staff/inmate relationships, and/or supervisor/subordinate officer communication and professional relationships. The minutes of these meetings shall be summarized, and a one year aggregate of the minutes shall be maintained on file. A summary report by exception, shall be forwarded to the Deputy Director for Prison Operations.

1.3 Each Warden shall meet with every employee group on a quarterly basis (to include education, maintenance, Correctional Officer IIIs and IVs, food service, Inmate Health Services and business office) to ascertain their professional concerns/conduct, as well as their compliance with security practices.

112.03 UNIFORMED CORRECTIONAL OFFICER MEETINGS

1.1 Wardens, Deputy Wardens and supervisors shall meet each month with a representative cross section of uniformed Correctional Officers (a minimum of ten for large institutions or units). Minutes shall be kept at these sessions, with copies distributed to the Director's Office, the Deputy Director for Prison Operations, and all those in attendance. A copy of the minutes shall also be posted on the unit bulletin board. Deputy Wardens shall not attend meetings conducted by the Warden.

1.2 Attendees shall be rotated on a monthly basis in order to ensure that the greatest number of officers have the opportunity to participate in these meetings. Wardens, Deputy Wardens and supervisors shall make every effort to ensure that these meetings do not regularly exclude officers with certain shift assignments, duty stations, or regular days off. Wardens, Deputy Wardens and supervisors shall arrange meeting times and staff schedules to minimize the necessity of overtime and to ensure that officers are encouraged to participate.

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