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Thursday, March 05, 2009

Chief Investigator William Hardin Reinstated? NOT!

Warden Doug Devenyns

Back on July 25th 2008 Chief Investigator William Hardin was formally escorted out of the WCDC and basically terminated.


Mr. Hardin appealed this action and had a hearing two weeks ago in which he came to learn today that the Board overturned Warden Doug Devenyns decision and reinstated Mr. Hardin back to work.


Mr. Hardin immediately went in this morning to the Wicomico County Human Resources and asked what steps he should take to go back to work. Mr. Mark Thompson said, just go back to work. I'm sure there are some details about back pay and so forth that need to be resolved but Bill and I have been in contact with one and other from the very beginning on this matter and quite frankly I have ALWAYS been amazed at how the Warden has handled it.


Nevertheless, Bill got in his car and headed directly to the Detention Center, walked in and was greeted by the Staff, shaking hands, hugs and even some tears. Bill attempted to get to his old Office when someone approached Bill and said, The Warden Doug Devenyns wants you escorted from the building immediately. Bill respectfully replied, I was reinstated, didn't you get the information? Yes, the Warden has instructed me to tell you to go out and get a lawyer, you're not coming back into his building. They proceeded to walk Bill out and he contacted me right away.


Since our conversation I have had the opportunity to speak with County Executive Rick Pollitt who asked me to express the following.


"Joe, as you know I just found out about this. We're going to make it right and we're NOT going to take a lot of time in doing so either."


I would like everyone at the WCDC to know that Mr. Pollitt has been following the Posts her on Salisbury News and has taken your comments quite seriously. In fact, Mr. Pollitt has met with several of the Staff there one on one to make sure the things that have been expressed are valid.


Here's my prediction. I do NOT think the Warden Doug Devenyns will be the Warden for very much longer at the WCDC. This Appeal Board is not a Board in which someone can take lightly. Every single charge they placed on Bill Hardin has been reversed and that in itself speaks volume! There seems to be an axe to grind and I personally do not think that Mr. Devenyns likes the fact that Mr. Hardin is being taken seriously now as Devenyns tried to destroy his name and reputation because Mr. Hardin did an internal report, (in which I have personally seen and read) and it does NOT look good on the Warden, PERIOD!


Like Mr. Pollitt has stated, I doubt it will take very long for them to make some changes and if anyone has a good head on their shoulders they'll come to realize that Mr. Hardin is not only a good man, he does his job extremely well and even perhaps too well, right Mr. Devenyns? I don't think the Warden, (perhaps former Warden) has a clue the position he has just placed the County in, liability wise. Either way, sit tight Folks because this is just the beginning. Remember, while this WILL become HUGE news locally, you heard it here first and that goes for the Daily Times too. No doubt they'll all be ringing the phones off the hook any second now.


GO HERE to see our article on this matter on July 28th, 2008.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's see if Rick Pollitt can get this straightened out by Friday.

Anonymous said...

3:00 - don't hold your breath, my friend. Remember he was suppossed to fire the "other landfill employees" by the end of "the week"? Didn't happen, did it? I like Rick but I don't put much credibility into his public pronouncements.

Anonymous said...

Wasn'T Hardin the fair hair person he hired when former investigator retired and gave him the run of the jail?? The Head of Household not run the JAIL. I cannot believe he ordered this action without checking with his superiors.[dumb and dumber]

Anonymous said...

he didn't say which week

Anonymous said...

Joe

If you believe the County Executive had not approved this action by the Warden than I have a bridge I would like to sell you.

An lets assume for discussion purposes the Executive did not know it. The Warden acting contrary to the Personnel Boards decision as well as the HR boss sending Harden back to work, would be insubordinate and subject to immediate dismissal.

Remember, Department Heads serve at the pleasure of the Executive.

Rick's problem is he is too nice of a guy for the job he has.

Anonymous said...

Well grow a set and do some firing.

Anonymous said...

Pollitt has KNOWN about so many problems/complaints and failed to act on removing Warden Devenyns. Maybe now Devenyns actions are so indisputable there is no other alternative. Good bye Warden.

Anonymous said...

Is Pollitt not the person who took no action when female guards were impregnanted by prisoners? Wasn't there outrage and protest from other correction guards posted on this blog? Yet no action from Pollitt.

Anonymous said...

If Pollitt has been following this site over the last several months and hasn't taken any action against DDD, then Pollitt needs to go as well as DDD. Everyone knows that DDD is a lying, two faced, moron. Why on earth does Pollitt protect him? Being nice is no excuse, he's paid to run the county, not be Mr. nice guy.

Anonymous said...

My friend works at the jail as an officer, and he told me that the wardens son work there too. From what he told me harden is the best thing that happen to the jail in a long time. If the warden keep doing this stuff that he deserves to go. Give his family jobs and fire the good people. It aint right.

Anonymous said...

William Hardin, Mr. Harder, Mr. Harding, Mr. Harded, Mr. Harden...

Ok, which is it Joe, LOL. Fix that keyboard, LOL


Anyway thanks for the update. Please keep us posted.

Anonymous said...

What do you say Jim???

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
What do you say Jim???

5:27 PM

Jim who?

Not sure who you are referring to, but if it is a City Mayor Candidate this is a County issue not city.

Anonymous said...

Seems to me that Pollitt might want to fire devenyns and make harden Director or Deputy Director if he is as good as you all are saying.He apparantly seems to be a good administrator and a fair person.why not?might save the County some money too.got my vote.

Anonymous said...

OK Joe here is the in side skinny.

The Executive is protecting and backing the Wardens actions for a reason. A reason that is know only to a select few in the Executives Office.

They are going to offer Mr. Hardin a cash settlement to go away. If he accepts, the substance of, the settlement will never be published or admitted to.

Hardin, if he accepts, will be sworn by his acceptance to secrecy regarding the settlement.

Case closed!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pollitt,

This is the entire summary of your Power of Bee's at WCDC.

You have a Director (Administrative Officer) that was investigated at one point by one of his own staff.

That same Warden, hired a man (with the blessings of the Deputy Director) appointed this person as the Chief of Security giving him the authority to crack his wipe at certain staff who did not deserve to be beaten up from day one. Whereas, he should have been cracking that wipe against some of the staff who truly deserve to be wiped (i.e. His Sgt's and Lt's.)

Finally, you have a Deputy Director (Operation Officer) who has been ASLEEP through all of this mass collage of conflict, confusion, chaos, craziness, carelessness, crack up, crank down, colossal of crap that has finally collapse.

Please tell them what you plan to do? Why on earth would you allow these people to continue with their employment when there is a high probability of retailiation that surely will be directed at the employees of WCDC. A decision needs to be made NOW. Let the Majors and Captains (Where you at Ruth Colbourne?) run the jail until the decision is made. Can you make a decision by Friday before 4:00 pm so that the employees at WCDC can have a great weekend.

The bottom line is, all three Power of Bee's (Director/3D/DDD, Deputy Director/2D/DD, Chief of Security/The Ghost/Terminator) need to be FIRED. And, while you are at it, take some of those butt kissing shift supervisors with them.

I sure wouldn't want to be in your shoes about now.

Anonymous said...

NOW is Your Chance, NOW is the Time
Wicomico County Taxpayers.....to

Get Rid Of The Crooked Warden,
Security Chief, Those Crooked Lts,
Sgts, etc from WCDC....Once, and for ALL.....incl A/w's toooo

Just Do It, Rick Pollitt, Dooo It...
Make Harden the New Warden, He is MUCH MORE QUALIFIED ........

Anonymous said...

Who the Hell, does DDD think he is?????? to Go against, the Decision already been made , that
Harden was TO RETURN TO WORK ????

DDD had better learn the CHAIN OF COMMAND....that means that....
THE COUNTY, DOWNTOWN, INCL THE
HEARING BOARD, AND RICK POLLITT,
A R E O V E R H I M in the
Chain of command, DDD y o u d o
as THEY SAY DO .....NOT AS YOU
PLEASE........or Find another Job

Anonymous said...

H E Y D D D , The Zoo is

looking for a Security Guard ...

for $8.50 hr..... Maybe You

can get that Job , when YOU Loose
Yours................

If not, well maybe Dog catcher
will come open.........

Anonymous said...

don't put a lot of trust in ruth colburne,she secretly supported the underhanded wrongdoings of deputy director roberts for years.let her stay where she is.OUT OF THE WICOMICO COUNTY DETENTION CENTER.she has covered for dd roberts and advised her many,many,times.don't be fooled by her faking to care show.she is just as underhanded as dd roberts.wcdc needs a new style of management and new administration. even if devenyns is fired if dd roberts and kimble remain ,you will still have the same issues.devenyns,roberts and kimble ALL need to be let go.dd roberts can retire anyday and kimble has many other means of income.select a new administration and change will come.

Anonymous said...

let me get this right,this poor guy was wrongfully terminated.won his appeal with the county's personnel board,went back to work after contacting the county HR director,and was yet again escorted out of the wcdc?Mr.Pollitt,this is a no brainer.your wcdc director should be fired.he just created a major liabllity for this county.

joe albero said...

anonymous 10:23, I firmly agree!

Anonymous said...

DDD's son in law...not son.

Anonymous said...

If Mr Rick Pollitt does not have the guts to do unpleasant tasks which are partof his job, then we need his resignation. Ted Shea can certainly step in and handle the responsibilities like a man and not a coward.

Anonymous said...

It is a real shame that a great big man like R. Pollitt walks around as Mr. PR and is scared of the good old boys who have been in power before he was elected to run the county. He has turned out to be a big joke.Pathetic. Lead the County and do the correct thing. If it is too hot in the kitchen, then get the he** out says Harry Truman.

Anonymous said...

Come on down to Snow Hill Correction facility and let some of the guards tell you why they left employment at Wicomico working under Warden Devenyns.He is one corrupt individual.

Anonymous said...

Heck we would be better off having abnunts as cheif of security then kimble. Abnuts is an a** but at least he's not as eval.
Warden Harden would be the best thing for the jail. Colburne can't be blamed, she just did what she had to do to stay alive, its all politics.

Hannibal138 said...

Just wow. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Not gonna say much about this, at least until it breaks wide open...

I will say I have never seen morale lower at WCDC than now.

"The game is afoot" as Holmes said...

-Hannibal138

Anonymous said...

hey joe,they have just taken the internal affairs office sign down that was on the wall outside of mr.harden's office.must be trying to keep him from getting it back.so much for what pollitt is going to do.

Anonymous said...

devenyns is trying to make it appear to county officials that mr.harden's office was being used for something else.yet another slap in mr.harden's face by devenyns and his crew.why is mr.pollitt allowing this to go on after what is posted here from yesterday?

Anonymous said...

boy these people can do whatever they want to do.kimble is under investigation,devenyns totally ignores the county personnel board's decision and no one wants to put an end to their actions.what a county government.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pollitt has been very much aware of the Devenyn problem for a long, long time. Devenyn is not a leader and is incapably of running any detention center. He needs to go NOW. He is a problem for Wicomico, just like James L. Henderson is a problem for Somerset County. As long as either one of them are on a county payroll, they will creat problems and expose the counties to potential lawsuits.

justiceforall said...

Devenyns can lie and cover-up for only so long and then truth and justice will prevail. Believe me on this.

Anonymous said...

Come on down to Somerset Devenyns, our new administrator might hire you to be Jimmy Henderson's assistant at the dog pound. We have a three legged dog down here that Henderson can't catch, maybe you can help.

Anonymous said...

DDD......Your little PUNK Self

came from being a inmate counselor
we hear, so, why do You think you
are going to get over , on a Former
State Police Captain (Harden)
You M U S T be an Idiot !!!!
Plus, Your former Corrupt jail
Captain Colbourne is Not around to Help You or Roberts, anymore....
You are on your own now, Big Boy...

Anonymous said...

5:21 at least check your facts before you post randomness on the internet. He wasn't a counselor, he was a warden at another jail, and before that was a naval officer. Regardless of what you think about him or what he has done in wicomico, he served our country in the armed forces for many years, and deserves some respect for it.

Show respect for veterans, please. They all deserve it.

Anonymous said...

9:39 p.m.,
His term in the military was short. Being a Warden for Wicomico or any other institutions still does not give him the right to treat his staff the way he does. The jail has had retired military personnel seek employment and get hired. They did not stay for vey long long. Face it. Devenyns, Roberts and Kimble aren't good for the jail. The entire jail is chaotic. And, those three aren't trying to fix the problem within. They are the problem. The only way to fix this mess is to get unionized. At least the correctional officers can really get paid for their headaches. Not through a pamphlet or a "We Hear You Board".

Anonymous said...

ANON:9:39 P/M devenyns was not a commissioned officer in the navy as you are trying to make him appear.he was an enlisted man,saw no combat and was not a career officer as you are trying to impress upon us.and just for the record he is not the only veteran at wcdc.mr.harden is a decorated vietnam veteran as proudly displayed on his personal car plates.we have military personnel dying everyday for our liberties and this is how some of us chooses to treat our fellow american veterans with the liberty that others are dying for.ANON:9:39 P/M you are obviously a devenyns fan,but don't try to make him something he is not,IMO he is a disgrace to any veteran.let me quote something to you that General Douglas MacAuthur stated to his Army personnel and his officers.THE UNFAILING FORMULA FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MORALE IS PATIOTISM,SELF RESPECT,DISCIPLINE AND SELF- CONFIDENCE WITHIN A MILITARY UNIT, JOINED WITH FAIR TREATMENT AND MERITED APPRECIATION FROM WITHOUT....IT WILL QUICKLY WITHER AND DIE IF SOLDIERS COME TO BELIEVE THEMSELVES THE VICTIMS OF INDIFFERENCE OR INJUSTICE ON THE PART OF THEIR GOVERNMENT OR OF IGNORANCE,PERSONAL AMBITION,OR INAPTITUDE ON THE PART OF THEIR MILITARY LEADERS.GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR- UNITED STATES ARMY- JUNE 30,1933 ANON:9:39 P/M this same principle can be applied to wcdc and our local county government .you need to sit down and be quiet.

Anonymous said...

The military teaches honesty and truthfullness. DDD has none of thoes qualities. He will lie at a drop of the hat. He has no leadership abilities. He doesn't stay engaged with what is going on at WCDC. He definately needs to be replaced as Warden. Mr. Pollitt, are you reading this site?

Anonymous said...

Mr.Pollitt,the citizens of Wicomico County are watching you with this.We will not forget how you failed to act on Director Devenyns and the way that he has ignored the county personnel boards decision to have Mr. Harden reinstated,not re-harrassed again.It's quite apparant that you are supporting Mr.Devenyns actions and you will be held accountable when you run for office again.We believed in you as our County Executive,it's very disappointing that you are turning out to be just another uncaring politician.

Anonymous said...

When will DDD and his two
assistant D's GO ???

Wicomico, TIME FOR CHANGE

Anonymous said...

OBAMA , TIME FOR CHANGE ,

STIMULUS PKG NEEDED TO

CLEAN UP W C D C

Anonymous said...

DDD keeping his job ?? N O T