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| Conn. Officers Say Racism is a Problem in Correction Department |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 05/12/2003 |
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Black correction officers told a legislative commission Thursday that they are passed over for promotions, punished more severely than white officers and subjected to racial slurs. The group told the African-American Affairs Commission that racism is a systemic problem in the Connecticut Department of Correction, The Hartford Courant reported. Black officers said correction department officials often ignore their complaints. They also said they are harassed and retaliated against for filing complaints. The officers said the prison officers' union does not want to get involved in the issue because it does not want to recommend discipline for its membership. The union, however, did take up the issue of sexual harassment because it pitted female officers against non-union supervisors, the group said. The commission held Thursday's public hearing in response to calls from correction officers. ''Based on what we've been hearing, sexual harassment is not (the Correction Department's) only problem,'' said Vanessa Burns, executive director of the commission. ''The African-American Affairs Commission wants to take a lead role in helping to get other issues, particularly those of race, out on the table.'' The officers told of incidents such as one in which a white guard was found sleeping on the job. He was suspended. A black guard also found sleeping was fired, they said. Correction Commissioner Theresa Lantz told commission members she welcomed the dialogue and promised to work with them and the correction officers to address their concerns. Lantz, who was named correction commissioner in March, said she was personally hurt to hear that people in her agency were being intimidated and discriminated against. ''We have to be committed to a work place that is free of discrimination, harassment and violence,'' Lantz said. Lantz said she has promoted women and minorities into supervisory and key leadership positions. She also noted that the past hearings regarding sexual harassment exposed shortcomings in the agency's complaint process. She said her agency is trying to address those shortcomings and she urged the officers to file complaints. For the most part, the speakers did not blame Lantz. James Griffin, president of the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches, said he had concerns about how effective Lantz could be at addressing the issue. ''For her to come in and upset the apple cart like that is almost impossible because of the good-ole-boy network,'' Griffin said. |
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