Insiders at the California Institution for Men are reporting that, days after I published my October 11, 2005 article, " The More Things Change, The More They Remain The Same.",1 the individual reported as having committed misdemeanor employee misconduct2, for whom Warden Poulos balked at referring this investigation to the Office of Internal Affairs, as is his duty3, has been transferred to another agency within California State Service, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).
If pressure had been mounting on Warden Poulos to follow Departmental policy and refer this investigation to the Office of Internal Affairs, the transfer of this individual to an agency outside of the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (CalDORC) will bring a halt to such an investigation due to lack of jurisdiction of CalDORC's Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) to conduct investigations into employees of other agencies. This former Health and Safety Officer of CIM fell into this category upon her transfer.
This would seem to be CalDORC's version of the "Witness Protection Program", and her transfer would contain the additional benefit of preventing testimony by her, during the course of her interrogation by OIA, that would serve to implicate any of her superiors who were complicit with or, perhaps, even directed her actions.
Regarding the reported incident of Workers Compensation related retaliation, she has reportedly stated in the presence of others, "Don't blame me, the Warden made me do it."
Assuming that her statement regarding her direction by Warden Poulos was true, then this transfer would appear to be for the self-serving purpose of Warden Poulos protecting himself.
As with Ed Alameda and Pelican Bay, another investigation halted and more justice obstructed.
Just a thought - what do you think?
Lorraine Bradley
http://prisoncorruption.blogspot.com
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1 http://prisoncorruption.blogspot.com
2 Labor Code §132a.(1)
3 Departmental Operations Manual: §31140.4.1; §31140.4.2; §31140.6.2
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