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| Layoffs Hinder CERT Team at Ohio Jail |
| By Canton Repository |
| Published: 02/10/2003 |
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An HIV-positive inmate convicted of robbery became a biohazard at the Stark County Jail more than two years ago when he told jail staff that his 'goal in life was to infect an officer,' says Maj. Michael McDonald. 'He would throw blood, urine and feces on the officers,' said McDonald, the jail's administrator, who sent six members of the Corrections Emergency Response Team to take him to solitary confinement. Equipped with riot gear and shields and wearing latex gloves, the officers stormed his cell, took him to the floor and placed a mask over his face to prevent him from spitting on them. With a belt wrapped around his body, they carried him to solitary confinement as he screamed and futilely tried to flail his arms and legs. 'We wanted to make sure they didn't get any body fluids on them,' said McDonald. 'He fought like a Bengal tiger.' McDonald said that the jail's ability to deal with those kinds of situations has been hampered by the layoff of 36 jail staffers Jan. 15 because of the county budget crisis. Before the layoffs, the jail had 20 of those elite officers, or about five per shift. Now, the jail has only 14. Between 2 and 10 p.m. last Thursday, only three were scheduled to work. Four were to work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. None were scheduled for the day shift. Because McDonald wanted a team to have at least three members, he didn't assign any to the day shift. Also, on any day, a number of team members aren't working because they're sick, on vacation or have a day off. So, if something happens when no such team is on duty, regular corrections officers now have to do the job. 'It creates a risk for the officers that are there because they don't have the training that the ... team members have,' said McDonald, adding that he can't arrange for other officers to be given the special training because he doesn't have the money to pay for it. |
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Do you know someone who has been arrested in Waco or McLennan County? It’s important to find a good Waco lawyer to represent you in the matter involving your own liberty. Look for the best Waco attorney that you can find. Whether you have been accused rightly or wrongly, it’s important to know your legal rights that concern whether you go to jail.