Charles L. Ryan Director 12/24/2012 Holiday Message from the Director As 2012 comes to a close and I reflect upon the events of this past year, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment and thank you all for your commitment, professionalism and dedication. The accomplishments that ADC is able to achieve, and the challenges that we are able to overcome in this demanding field, are a direct reflection of the great people that make up our team of corrections professionals. Whether you are a Correctional Officer, a supervisor or administrator, or a member of the support staff, you each play a role in helping us accomplish our mission and meet our goals. The sacrifices that each of you make are truly instrumental in maintaining public safety in our great State. I am constantly reminded of the incredible efforts that staff put forth each and every day. It was an honor to recognize hundreds of our employees during the annual Employee Awards Ceremony just a few weeks ago, and I know that innovation, teamwork, and acts of selflessness and bravery occur every single day, from one end of the State to the other, at each of our facilities. It is truly a privilege to serve this Agency as Director, and I thank you for all that you do. I wish each of you, your families and loved ones a safe and joyous holiday season, and please accept my best wishes for your continued success in the year to come. Respectively, Charles L. Ryan
12/19/2012 A Safe and Joyous Holiday Season As we pause to reflect on 2012 and anticipate 2013, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. Take this time to cherish those in your life, including the extended family within The Arizona Department of Corrections. Many of us will be traveling during this time. Please be safe as we celebrate and enjoy this time of year. I hope that this coming year will bring everyone peace and happiness. Have a joyful holiday season! Sincerely, Charles L. Ryan 12/13/2012 2012 Employee Recognition Awards This has been an incredible year to celebrate the outstanding employees of the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). ADC is a vibrant organization with a multi-faceted mission and many opportunities to effect change. The 10,000 employees who carry out our mission, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year represent a work force committed to public safety. Similar to their brethren in law enforcement and fire departments, Correctional employees are known for running toward the problem when the cry for assistance is heard. Our mission remains first and foremost public safety. The public's exposure to unnecessary risk is minimized because of our commitment to the mission. At this time of year, as we honor outstanding employees, we are also reminded of another commitment - to keep our staff safe. One of the first challenges encountered when I returned to ADC was to address the change in definition of assaults against our staff. My predecessor altered the definition to mean that if an employee was not injured, the assault did not count. That didn't make much sense. Thus, I corrected it to mean simply that if an employee was assaulted, whether injured or not, the data would be recorded. A concerted effort has been made in the investigation and prosecution of those inmates who have criminally assaulted our staff. ADC shall willingly continue to pay for the criminal prosecution of inmates who assault our employees, particularly those assaults resulting in injury to a staff member. Non-injury assaults will continue to result in disciplinary action through the administrative process. The table below clearly indicates that 65% of the cases submitted thus far have resulted in a felony conviction. 
To the people who fulfill our mission and take pride in their work, I congratulate you, thank you and respectfully appreciate what you do every day for the citizens of Arizona. Often times, you are the unsung heroes of public service. To me you ARE the fabric that has enabled this agency to continue to grow in its professionalism, image, and public safety commitment. I am proud to be the Director of the extraordinary men and women of the Arizona Department of Corrections. It is my privilege to recognize employees from all divisions for their incredible acts of bravery, life saving efforts, public safety feats, professionalism, and commitment to service, community and country. Sincerely, Charles L. Ryan 12/03/2012 Southern Region Community Corrections Center opens in Tucson This is a new and exciting chapter for the Arizona Department of Corrections. Today represents a positive milestone in ADC history, as we open the first Community Corrections Center in over 30 years. Offenders in Pima County now have access to the Southern Region Community Corrections Center. The facility will serve as Parole Offices for offenders returning to Pima County. This location will also provide programming, treatment services and short term housing in a 150-bed facility for offenders that commit a technical violation of their release conditions. Treatment and reentry services will be offered to offenders via ADC staff, contracted services and community providers. The purpose of a Community Corrections Center is to promote successful completion of community supervision and to provide swift, certain and fair interventions to noncompliant offenders, without having to re-commit them to prison. I want to congratulate and thank everyone involved in supporting, implementing and making SRCCC ready for the Grand Opening. I believe that Friday's Opening Ceremony was well received . . . it was because of your collaboration and teamwork. This milestone holds great promise for re-entry and recidivism reduction strategies. Congratulations and thank you for a job well done! Charles L. Ryan 11/19/2012 A Safe Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is already upon us. As we all gather with family and friends to celebrate, I would like to thank you for your dedication to this agency and the State of Arizona. I would also like to remind everyone to please be responsible as you celebrate and enjoy the Thanksgiving traditions. Please be safe as you travel during this busy holiday time. There is no time more fitting to say 'Thank you' and to wish you a happy and safe holiday season. Sincerely, Charles L. Ryan 11/05/2012 Phoenix Veteran's Day Parade I encourage everyone to attend the annual Phoenix Veterans Day Parade on Monday, November 12. Once again, the Department of Corrections has entered a float in the parade. ADC is proud of the veterans in our agency, as well as the service of all veterans across Arizona and the United States. I hope you are able to take the time to honor the dedication and sacrifices made by the men and women of our military. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 10/22/2012 Legacy Project recognized I am pleased to announce that the efforts of Community Corrections in the Legacy Project were recently recognized. The Legacy Project was awarded the National Association of Committees Achievement Award for the diligent and collaborative efforts in reducing recidivism in a community with one of the higher concentrations of offenders on community supervision. Paul O'Connell and his team of dedicated officers partnered with Maricopa County Adult Probation to enhance supervision strategies and improve transition process for those returning to the community from incarceration. This joint effort has, in turn, increased public safety and reduced costs for the criminal justice system. Congratulations on the well deserved recognition. Charles L. Ryan 10/19/2012 Attempted escape stopped I would like to recognize the outstanding response to the attempted escape Wednesday at the Cimarron Unit of ASPC-Tucson. At approximately 8:40 a.m. inmate Odom, #186404, attempted to escape from ASPC-Tucson by assaulting a contract employee and stealing a delivery truck. The inmate drove through the Unit's interior fence but was stopped by the Unit's perimeter fence. It was there that an Officer restrained the inmate and stopped the escape attempt. While the incident remains under investigation, which appears to be a pre-planned act, I commend those staff that intervened and responded to secure the area and the situation. The quick reactions by ASPC-Tucson staff to stop the escape attempt of a dangerous convicted felon, exemplifies true professionalism and commitment to public safety. Congratulations on a job well done! Thank you!! Charles L. Ryan 10/10/2012 The 2012 SECC Campaign needs your support The 2012 State Employees Charitable Campaign (SECC) is underway and is one of the simplest ways to support the causes you care about. In the past 19 years, state employees have raised over $23 million to support charities across the state, nations and the world. Over the years, ADC employees have been generous contributors to this campaign and I want to thank all of you for your support. Your donation, no matter how big or small, goes to making our communities and world a better place. I would encourage all of you to visit www.azsecc.org and make use of the on-line donation system that makes it easier to donate to your favorite charity. If you pledge a donation of just $2 a pay period before October 26, you will have a chance to win a $250 gift card from US Airways. In addition, any donation of $52 or more by November 16 will enter you into a drawing to win one of twenty (20) $1,000 cash prizes courtesy of Arizona State Credit Union! I invite you to be part of the SECC T.E.A.M., because Together Everyone Achieves More. Sincerely, Charles L. Ryan 09/28/2012 Cell Phones inside a prison equal a Class 5 Felony The vision and mission of the Arizona Department of Corrections is to contribute to safer communities through responsible, professional and effective corrections Recently an officer purposely and deliberately ignored his duty to uphold Arizona law by attempting to smuggle in a cell phone. This is not the only time a person has tried to bring in contraband cell phones. Visitors, Correctional Officers, civilian, and contract employees have been discovered introducing things such as drugs, weapons, and cell phones, with the intent to provide this material to the inmate population at various facilities around the state. Whatever the reason, they make an extraordinarily selfish and self destructive decision to sell everyone's security to the highest bidder. Drugs and weapons in the hands of inmates present obvious and well documented physical risks to staff and inmates. Cell phones, on the other hand, present a much more complex challenge. What is absolutely legal, relatively harmless when used appropriately, and part of most individuals lives on the street, becomes a dangerous method of criminal conspiracy, extortion, threats, and assaults when in the hands of an inmate. The issue of cell phones became so dangerous in the prison system that our agency, in 2010, successfully sought to add cell phones and other communication or wireless devices as illegal contraband as defined by the Arizona Revised Statutes. Currently, ARS 13-2501 and 13-2505 includes possessing a cell phone in a secured correctional facility a class 5 felony, regardless of the offender's intent. With the laws necessary to aggressively confront contraband cell phones now codified, it is the policy of this agency to pursue all such criminal violations to the fullest extent possible, whether the offender is an inmate, a visitor, or even an employee. It is my hope that you will embrace and support safety and security as a corrections professional, and report or take action regarding those that have decided to undermine the very security that is core to our mission and paramount to the safe operations of each institution. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 09/24/2012 ADC tops LETR donations again I am proud to once again announce that the Arizona Department of Corrections is the top fundraising agency for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Arizona. Through many fundraising events, the Department contributed over $170,000 during the 2012 campaign. This fantastic effort helped LETR reach another record in donations raised of $750,000 to support the efforts of the Special Olympics Arizona. Congratulations on a job well done to everyone who participated in an LETR event, fundraiser or donation drive. A full story, including photos from just some of the fundraising events, is available on the following link: http://www.azcorrections.gov/adc/news/2012/092412_adc_top_letr_donor.html Congratulations!
Charles L. Ryan 09/11/2012 Message of Remembrance of 9/11 Today marks the 11th year since the attacks on September 11, 2001, a day that will forever hold its place in U.S. history. It was a day that transformed America and gives everyone pause to remember where they were and what they were doing that fateful day. As we remember those who died and the families they left behind, let us also honor the heroes that faced the knowledge of certain death, and still chose to sacrifice themselves for their fellow Americans. Today, 11 years later, it is up to each and every one of us to ensure that the sacrifices made that day are not forgotten. As you go about your day-to-day routine, please take a moment to remember them... Respectfully,
Charles L. Ryan 08/23/2012 Open Door Policy As I have explained to ADC employees on numerous occasions since my return to ADC in January 2009, I extend to all employees an 'Open Door, Phone and E-mail' communication process. It is and has been utilized by countless employees and stakeholders to this date and I will continue to avail and exercise this communication strategy indefinitely for a myriad of reasons. The fundamental purpose of this approach to facilitating communication with employees is to provide an unfettered opportunity to present issue(s) that have either not been responded to by others, perceived to be inadequately addressed, or to provide a 'safe' or comfortable environment to elevate an issue. The fundamental problem-solving process in addressing problem(s), regardless of the nature, is to first attempt to resolve it at the lowest possible level. If the result is unsatisfactory, or unclear, then it is the employee's prerogative to elevate the issue through their chain-of-command, and they (you) will always be encouraged to do so. That said, when employees or external stakeholders contact me through this 'Open Door . . .' forum, please understand that it is my responsibility and prerogative to decide how I will address the problem or issue. Often times, I will delegate the matter first, to either the Deputy Director or a Division Director to gather the facts. It is unrealistic for anyone, to include external stakeholders, to expect that I will personally investigate and resolve every issue presented to me. Given the number of employees in ADC (10,000+), in addition to 40,000+ inmates in custody and 5,800 releasees in the community, as well as a plethora of external stakeholders, it would be unreasonable for anyone to contend that I personally would be the sole source of all the fact-finding I rely upon a strong leadership team to assist me in being responsive to our employees and stakeholders. Countless employees and other stakeholders, have experienced my '24/7' approach to understanding problems, obtaining information and attempting to resolve them when it is essential that I, personally, need to be involved. My tireless commitment to ADC remains 24/7, literally, as it has throughout my corrections career beginning in 1977. Although I acknowledge that there will always be a skeptic or two, I encourage you to remain comfortable and confident in utilizing the 'Open Door . . .' process. The goal of this process has always been to facilitate communication and resolve issues in a timely manner. Thank you, Charles L. Ryan 08/22/2012 ASPC-Douglas K9 Unit Recognized I am pleased to share some recognition that was recently given to the ASPC-Douglas K9 Unit. In a letter dated August 15, 2012, Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, praised and thanked the K9 Unit Chase Team for their efforts in locating a despondent person outside the City of Sierra Vista on August 13. ADC canine 'Cassy' and handler Sergeant Kirk Harrigan, along with the rest of the team, played a vital part in the successful search and rescue of the despondent individual. "Their professionalism and dedication to the cause reflects great credit upon each member of the team and the Arizona Department of Corrections", wrote Sheriff Dever. I agree and echo the sentiments of Sheriff Dever. I am extremely proud of the efforts and professionalism displayed each day by ADC staff around Arizona. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 07/31/2012 Kennel Dedication I would like to take this opportunity to recognize one of ADC's dedicated employees. Mr. Ralph Pendergast has served the Department of Corrections for 17 years and through his efforts, has turned this Department into the premier K-9 training program in the United States. The Department recently dedicated eleven new kennels at ASPC-Eyman in honor of Mr. Pendergast. I encourage you to read about the new facilities and see photographs of the dedication ceremony at this link: Kennel Dedication. Congratulations, Ralph! Thank you for your continued service to the State of Arizona and the Department of Corrections. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 07/16/2012 National Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week In honor of National Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week, I would like to take a moment to recognize ADC's dedicated Community Corrections professionals. Their tireless efforts to ensure the safety of the public are to be commended. Governor Janice K. Brewer recognized this national week by hosting the Department for a photo opportunity. A full story, including a photo of the event, is available on the following link: National Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 07/11/2012 Personnel Reform This past legislative session brought significant changes that will modernize and improve the management of our workforce. Nearly all Executive Branch personnel systems will be consolidated into one, the State Personnel System. In addition, many of the rules and principles by which our workforce is managed are also undergoing significant reform, with the aim to enable a workforce that is accountable, efficient, competitive, and productive. We are in the process of rewriting the future of Arizona’s next centennial and we need to ensure that we are an employer of choice, competitive with the other employers including the private sector. The Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) has created a personnel reform website (www.hr.az.gov/pr) which contains information about the reform and some of its key provisions. I encourage you to bookmark this site and refer back to it often as ADOA continues to expand the site. I want to share with you additional information about reform that is specific to our agency. ADOA provided an executive briefing to all agency directors and their management teams during the week of June 11-15. This briefing provided an overview of the changes that will be forthcoming during the next three months as we prepare to implement Personnel Reform on September 29, 2012. At this meeting, each agency was asked to identify a project lead that will serve as the agency’s single point of contact for the implementation of personnel reform. I have identified Gail Rittenhouse, Division Director for Support Services as our agency lead. Some of the initial tasks that we will be working on include:
While our agency is working on these tasks, ADOA will continue to develop additional guidance and information in some of the following areas:
Sincerely, Charles L. Ryan 06/22/2012 ADC staff step up to help toy drive in need 911 Toy Drive, a long time valley law enforcement charitable organization, asked ADC for volunteers to help move their warehouse full of toys. I am proud to say that we had 18 employees from 3 different complexes respond to the request. Over the course of 5 hours, ADC staff packed, loaded and moved more than 60,000 toys from the warehouse that had recently been sold. ADC staff also responded to the new location the following week to help set up the new warehouse. 911 Toy Drive is a nonprofit organization that has allowed police and firefighters to give toys to children in distress for the past 25 years. Over the years, they have given more than 3-million toys to at-risk children in Arizona communities. As a member of the community, it is rewarding to be able to contribute to such a worthy Arizona organization. A full story, including photos of the event, is available on the following link: ADC steps up to help toy drive in need For more information about 911 Toy Drive, visit their website: www.911toydrive.com Regards, Charles L. Ryan 06/8/2012 Emergency Preparedness Emergency Preparedness is a public service responsibility and must be integrated into every element of ADC’s security operations and programming. I am pleased to announce that the staff of ASPC-Florence and ASPC-Eyman participated in a Homeland Security Response Exercise. For the purposes of the exercise, staff responded to a utility failure at ASPC-Eyman that included weather challenges such as degrading communications, facility damage and road blockages. Staff also prepared to receive evacuated inmates at ASPC-Florence, incase that became a necessity. It is essential that ADC be proactive in developing emergency response plans. I encourage you to learn more about this exercise and the success of our participants by following this link: Eyman-Florence Homeland Security Response Exercise Regards, Charles L. Ryan 06/8/2012 Personnel Reform HB 2571 (Laws 2012, Chapter 321) related to personnel reform was passed by the Legislature and signed into law. HB 2571 will become effective on September 28, 2012. There has been a great deal of information provided to ADC employees regarding this legislation. Information can be found on Governor Brewer's website at http://www.azgovernor.gov/PersonnelReform.asp and you may review the legislation at http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/2r/laws/0321.pdf . The provisions I have been receiving the most inquiries about relate to the "covered" and "uncovered" status of employees. Under HB 2571, beginning September 29, 2012, the following employees will become at-will uncovered: New hires, supervisors, attorneys, employees employed in information technology positions, employees in Grade 19 and higher positions, covered employees who voluntarily elect to become uncovered, and covered employees who voluntarily accept a new assignment (e.g. promotion, transfer). Employees in positions that require full authority peace officer certification and employees in Correctional Officer I, II, or III and Community Corrections Officer positions will not automatically become at-will uncovered. While visiting with employees at ASPC-Florence and ASPC-Eyman over Memorial Day weekend, a number of employees told me they were concerned that if they became an at-will uncovered employee, then they could be "fired for no reason." Let me be clear: Employees of the Arizona Department of Corrections will NOT be arbitrarily suspended, demoted or dismissed. I will not allow for ADC employees to be suspended, demoted or dismissed without cause. In addition, HB 2571 has a number of mechanisms in place to further prevent that from occurring. For example, with the exception of certain positions, HB 2571 established a requirement that all suspensions over 80 hours, demotions and dismissals be reviewed by ADOA prior to implementing the adverse actions. In addition, HB 2571 requires that ADOA establish procedures for reviewing harassment and discrimination complaints filed by employees. HB 2571 also adds protections for "whistleblowers," including increasing the penalty for an employee who is found by the Personnel Board to have knowingly committed a prohibited personnel practice against an employee who disclosed information evidencing a violation of a law. At-will uncovered employees do not need to be concerned that they could be suspended, demoted or dismissed arbitrarily. Governor Brewer and ADOA continue to work with the other state agencies to develop the guidelines for personnel reform. I will continue to provide you updates as additional information becomes available. If you have questions regarding the impact of HB 2571 on ADC employees, please do not hesitate to submit the question to prquestions@azcorrections.gov. Regards, Charles L. Ryan 06/7/2012 Welcome Welcome to the "Director's Desk." I have maintained an open door, open email, open phone policy since my return to the Department in 2009. This forum will provide another channel for communicating with ADC staff and community stakeholders. It is my intent to use this forum to provide information on "news and events" impacting the Department. I look forward to utilizing this latest method of communication in conjunction with my open door, open email and open phone policy. Regards, Charles L. Ryan |
