Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. announced today that the United States Department of Justice (D.O.J.) has closed its investigation of the Wicomico County Detention Center. Pollitt noted that Shanetta Y. Cutlar, Chief of the D.O.J. Special Litigation Session, offered “congratulations” to Director Devenyns and staff for “this significant accomplishment.”
On July 16, 2004, the D.O.J. entered into a Settlement Agreement with Wicomico County following several years of negotiations brought about by allegations that the Department of Corrections had violated inmate rights in numerous areas. The Settlement Agreement contained specific provisions and stipulations for the resolution and/or correction of the situations cited. According to the Department of Justice, the County has now fulfilled all terms of the Settlement Agreement.
A key move in achieving compliance was taken by Executive Pollitt in October, 2007. Responding to various negative reports indicating that inmate health care remained as the last unsatisfactory compliance area following the implementation of the Settlement Agreement, Pollitt facilitated a change in medical contractors. In a little more than 18 months, the new contractor resolved all medical issues resulting in the D.O.J.’s commendation.
Last December 18th, the D.O. J. said that the County was in “substantial compliance with all provisions except those dealing with the care and treatment of inmates with chronic illnesses.” Then, in a letter dated May 29, 2009, the D.O.J. stated that, “Based upon our review of your revised policies and procedures for chronic care along with medical charts and records of inmates within your chronic care program, we find that the County is in substantial compliance with all remaining provisions of the Settlement Agreement.”
Reacting to the letter of commendation, Executive Pollitt said, “I echo Ms. Cutlar’s sentiment that ‘this accomplishment demonstrates our commitment to provide appropriate and constitutional conditions of confinement to our inmates.’ I join in offering congratulations to Director Devenyns and his staff.”
Editors Note: I will make my comment under comments.
24 comments:
Say What???
Unbelieveable, just unbelievable.
"On July 16, 2004, the D.O.J. entered into a Settlement Agreement with Wicomico County following several years of negotiations brought about by allegations that the Department of Corrections had violated inmate rights in numerous areas. The Settlement Agreement contained specific provisions and stipulations for the resolution and/or correction of the situations cited. According to the Department of Justice, the County has now fulfilled all terms of the Settlement Agreement."
Look, it clearly says it took several years for DDD to get things in order and now Rick Pollitt wants to congratulate him?????
I'm sorry Folks but this is politics at its best. Yesterday I attended another meeting with the DOJ where Oscar Arce was AWARDED for his hard work and dedication, yet DDD wasn't even present for the ceremony and DDD removed him from the Gang Task Force, in which Arce created!
I spoke with several key people yesterday about this matter and each and every one of them shook their head in disguse against Devanins.
I don't know what's going on between County Executive Rick Pollitt and the Warden but something stinks really bad here.
In PRIVATE business, if it took * YEARS for one of my Employees to get something right the Federal Government DEMANDED be corrected, they would have been FIRED!
This is a joke in my eyes and quite frankly I'm ashamed to have posted it.
disgust, sorry.
Does any one get the feeling that the feds don't have a clue what is going on in the real world? Government health care should really be interesting when taken over by them.
Its the new America Joe, where logic is absent and stupidity abounds.
It is hard to understand how the DOJ can make these statements now since many complaints have been made to them about these very same issues from 2005-present. Those complaints should still be under investigation which means problems still exist at WCDC.
anonymous 10:27, You're so right. It's scary, isn't it. I mean, here we have a Coiunty Executive going on record congratulating someone for a job well done, yet it took 8 YEARS to do it!
DDD has been critisized by his own Staff for years now and it has gone completely ignored. Pollitt has the ear, invites them to come in and discuss their concerns and in the end, (even though there's an overwhelming amount of employees complainaing) Rick finds no problem at all.
I think everyone knows I like Rick Pollitt and I do respect his position. However, I have been doing this long enough to know when something is legit or not. You don't get 20 or 30 men complaining, 400 to 500 comments on one article about ONE man and think there's nothing wrong.
Rick Pollitt asked Bill Harden to do an investigation on Devanins. At Pollitt's request he does it, finds all sorts of very serious issues, all in line for termination and the next thing you know Harden is demoted, fired, re-hired and now a target for Devanins and Pollitt. The man was doing his job.
The WCDC is an absolute mess. I just do not understand why Pollitt would congratulate DDD for a job well done. Unbelievable and unacceptable.
Goverment, both local and national has reached JOKE stage.
Disgusting!
I've never in all my years heard of a situation where someone facing a federal lawsuit is congratulated by their superiors for doing a good job. There are as many problems or even more now then there was in 2004. To bad Pollitt and the DOJ turn a blind eye and do nothing about it.
Policies and procedures are fine if WCDC actually followed them. It took 8 years to establish the policy and procedures and now everything is suppose to be OK. Did the DOJ actually check to see if any one followed the policy? Obviously not because the place is still being run more like a concentration camp then a detention center.
Seems the case was the same with Rai Sharma. According to Pollitt, Sharma did a good job, but poor management skills. How can one do good and at the same time perform poorly. And didn't release the full report until now. At least Ted Shea stood up for the county. Maybe the shooting wasn't random?
Looks like another slick trick by Rick!
Wake up wicomico voters this is the true meaning of good ole boy politics at its best.Rick Pollitt's agenda is pretty sad.What happening in this county today should outrage all the citizens. This is pure BS.. Pollitt got to go as well as the warden and any other good ole boys in this system. Man it is sad.
Joe, You are so correct in your accessment of 3D.He was the main problem in the beginning and is still the problem Time will tell and politics will always be the same.
Somerset at least demoted there warden to a dog catcher after he screwed up. Looks like Devenyns is going to be allowed to stay on the job forever. Wicomico is now trailing little old Somerset in this area.
Rick Pollitt has been one of the boys in the good old boy system for so long that he's so damn corrupt that even he doesn't know it. This is just right down disgusting and he's the one that should be ashamed of himself. How corrupt can corrupt get before. He's the Balojevech of Salisbury, I swear.
It's very understandable why so many are so upset and do not trust government any more. There seems to be absolutly no accountability anymore. Our leaders continue to do just the opposite of what they promise to do. New leardership is certainally needed in Wicomico and in reality just about at every level of government. Where is the transparency that we were promised?
Careful Joe if you pick on Pollitt too hard he will cut you off.What you need to know is that Pollitts coaches are the whos who in Wicomico county, thats correct THE GOOD OLE BOYS Not only are the WCDC employees upset the rest of us are too
The people would be better served by the DOJ if they (DOJ) were actively investigating the abuses and civil rights violations that have taken place and been reported at WCDC and the Somerset county detention center over the past several years. Congratulating Doug Devenyns for anything that he has done at WCDC is laughable.
The "good 'ole boy" system of things has been operating at WCDC for over 20 years. Nothing has change in the past or the present. Knowing what we all know about Wicomico County, nothing will EVER change at WCDC no matter who's in change. That "good 'ole boy" system of things has forever been in charge of Wicomico. The question that need to be ask, who IS a member of the true "good 'ole boy" system of things. The corruption in this county has been going on too many years.
This is very disappointing to hear. No wonder people don't vote. What's the point?
Tim Chaney,
I agree. There are no good reason to vote for anyone in Wicomico County. The "good 'ole boy" system of things has always ruled along with corruption. There is absolutely no point. And, I feel extremely sorry for he citizens and employees of Wicomico County. Especially for those who work at WCDC.
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