OPERATION Disconnect

OPERATION DISCONNECT~This is the state's fancy tittle to impose their searching process on us. I wonder what the pay-grade was for the rocket scientist to come up with that lame~ass name. And what the hell does it really stand for?

Don't get me wrong. I'm all in favor in keeping our staff safe & keeping the bad "apples" out of our system. But this bright idea the state has imposed on us? Is this really their intent? It makes one wonder.

If a staff member has numerous cell phones, tobacco, hand grenades, ect. then obviously they are dirty. But what about the staff who forgot to take their cell phone out of their pocket on that day? Is he or she guilty of discrediting the Department? That is the million dollar question.

So the poor staff who forgot to check themselves before leaving their car gets nabbed with their "contraband". Now what. The state then goes through the process of discrediting the employee by running them through their adverse action process. So what is the true intent of "OPERATION DISCONNECT"?

There are stories across the state on these issue's. To the point of searching person's to searching cars in the parking lot to not allowing an employee to return to their car before entering the secured area to put back that "forgotten cell phone". Granted, we are all subject to search once we are on prison grounds. But there are rules.

Where is the outcry for waste of taxpayers money here? OIA is getting paid to go to each institution to do this drill. How many 'bad apples" have they really caught? Not enough to justify their jobs. This brilliant plan the state has come up with is a freakin joke! Can't wait to see what they come up next.

So in theory, the state is moving forward with their "operation" to disconnect the staff from making any human error. Are we getting to the point where there is no room for human error with staff? As Glenn Beck would say, "Damn Right they are".

So a quick overview. State says we have a problem with "bad apples" bringing in contraband inside our prisons. They initiate OD. Now when staff forget to take out that object out of their purse or lunchbox they are deemed a discredit to our department. So who is really benefiting from this? It's another guess that our department is just using this tactic to beat the moral down even further. Remember there are several tactics out there, this is just one of them. The Department has again lost focus on what their goals are. There is no training. Just adverse action. There is no room for human error. But the state is violating many of their own rules during this process.

1) When you become under their control ie; submitting to a search~you are under the clock. Are you being provided a sign in sheet for this? This is a FLSA law.

2) Before you enter a secured area~you are not allowed to return to your vehicle to put back any "forgotten items" which puts you into an entrapment scenario. So them knowing you have contraband and giving you a direct order to proceed into the security area, who really is at fault?

3) And what are their standards of contraband items? Nail clippers? over-the counter medicine, avon catalogs? They don't even know what the list consists of.

4) The Staff they have searching staff~have they been through "Operation Disconnect" training? If you watch, most Supervisors are pulled out of the search line to search other staff. Who trained them? Is it logged in IST? And are they even qualified?

Just some food for though. Remember this the next time you go through this state process. Document and call your local chapter.

Stay Safe and Sane

Lori