[HISTORY: Adopted by the County Council of
Dorchester County 11-15-2016 by Bill No.
2016-6.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Sheriff; county jail – See Ch. 44.
[1]
Editor's Note: This bill also repealed former
Ch. 75, Department of Correction, adopted 10-6-1992 by Ord. No. 215.
A.
There is hereby created a Department of Correction
(the "Department") under the immediate direction of a Director who
shall be appointed by the County Council as recommended by the County
Manager.
B.
The Department shall operate all programs pertaining
to detention and rehabilitation of persons under the jurisdiction
of the County government awaiting trial or having been convicted of
a crime and sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction for a term
in the Dorchester County Detention Center or being held for any other
lawful purpose.
The Dorchester County Jail is an institution
within the Department of Correction, and it shall hereafter be named
the "Dorchester County Detention Center."
A.
The Director of the Department of Correction shall
be responsible for the safekeeping, care and custody of all inmates
in the County Detention Center from the time they are lawfully committed
thereto until they are lawfully discharged, released or withdrawn
therefrom.
B.
The Director shall promulgate rules and regulations
of the County which pertain to the administration and operation of
the Department of Correction, not inconsistent with law, necessary
to exercise the responsibilities and duties of the position.
C.
The Director will be provided with staff, equipment
and office space at the Detention Center adequate to fulfill the duties
and responsibilities of the Department.
D.
The Director shall be responsible for the maintenance
and care of the inmates in his custody and shall be responsible for
the safe transportation of such inmates within the boundaries of Dorchester
County for the purpose of transporting said inmates to hospitals,
the offices of physicians for medical consultations and dentists for
dental care and to such other locations as may be necessary to keep
appointments for the health, safety and protection of the inmates
and the community. Any Department personnel assigned to escort an
inmate outside the Detention Center shall be equipped with a firearm.
E.
The Director or his designee may in cases of emergency
(fire, flood or other disaster) order the evacuation of inmates from
the Detention Center even when such evacuation may increase the opportunity
to escape, provided that such evacuation is initiated to prevent death
or serious injury to inmates.
F.
The Director is empowered to authorize the staff at
the Detention Center to use deadly force in accordance with law and
in accordance with the departmental standard operating procedures.
G.
The Director or his designee shall have the authority
to transfer custody of inmates to authorized personnel of any other
county, state or the government of the United States for transportation
to the courts or to some other place of incarceration that may otherwise
be provided for by law.
H.
The Director or his designee shall have the authority
to designate staff members to escort selected inmates outside the
Detention Center for employment interviews.
I.
The Director shall also:
(1)
Manage the day-to-day operations of the Dorchester
County Detention Center;
(2)
Supervise clerical, administrative and security employees
either directly or through supervisors;
(3)
Develop and implement detention center internal policies
and procedures and communicate to staff;
(4)
Ensure rules, regulations, policies and procedures
are followed in order to protect inmates, personnel and the public
from harm;
(5)
Oversee inmate affairs, involving monitoring of intake/discharge,
classification of inmates, inmate grievances and requests in order
to protect the county against litigation;
(6)
Ensure inmate support functions, such as medical and
community service, are provided;
(7)
Initiate emergency evacuation when needed to prevent
death or serious injury to inmates and/or staff;
(8)
Transfer custody of inmates to authorized personnel
of other County, state or federal agencies for transportation to court
or another place of incarceration;
(9)
Oversee financial matters of the Detention Center,
such as securing purchases in accordance with County policies and
procedures, overseeing the work-release accounts, ensuring appropriate
costs for inmate food vendors by implementing cost-saving measures,
ensuring proper handling of inmate accounts and commissary funds;
(10)
Administer the Detention Center/Corrections budget
in accordance with County policies and procedures;
(11)
Oversee employee work schedules and make every effort
to reduce overtime and stay within approved budget; and
(12)
Resolve Detention Center operational issues in regard
to housing of inmates, transportation, and physical building and grounds
matters.
J.
The Director shall also perform additional duties
and functions as directed by the County Manager.
K.
The Director shall serve at the pleasure of the County
Council and is not a merit county employee.
The Director of the Dorchester County Detention
Center shall have the following minimum qualifications:
B.
Experience: minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible
experience with a corrections agency or related work experience at
a level of Lieutenant or higher. [NOTE: Experience in corrections
at a level of Lieutenant or higher may be used as a substitute for
the required education on a year-to-year basis.]
C.
Necessary knowledge, skills and abilities:
(1)
A comprehensive knowledge of correctional policies
and generally accepted procedures;
(2)
Also required is the ability to supervise and manage
administrative, maintenance and correctional officers;
(3)
The ability to evaluate policies and program objectives
is important;
(4)
This position requires strong written and verbal skills,
as well as strong interpersonal skills;
(5)
Thorough knowledge of modern correctional principles,
procedures, techniques and equipment;
(6)
Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and
standards of operating a correctional institution;
(7)
Thorough knowledge of County, state and federal laws
and regulations pertaining to incarceration;
(8)
Considerable knowledge of effective methods of supervision;
(9)
Working knowledge of basic principles of governmental
budgeting and fiscal procedures;
(10)
Skill in operating the listed tools and equipment;
(11)
Ability to plan, initiate and execute policy and rehabilitative
programs and understand and interpret modern correction standards
applicable to the Detention Center;
(12)
Ability to manage and oversee the operation, control
and regulation of the Detention Center;
(13)
Ability to enforce current policies, procedures and
issues and interpret institutional policies;
(14)
Ability to analyze reports on cost and operation of
the Detention Center to determine whether operating cost standards
are being met;
(15)
Ability to communicate effectively with employees,
inmates, visitors, attorneys, law officers, court officials, the media
and the general public;
(16)
Ability to read and understand court papers and other
legal documents;
(17)
Ability to supervise a staff of clerical, administrative
and Correctional employees; and
(18)
Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data/information,
establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
D.
Licenses, registrations, certifications and other
special requirements.
(1)
Valid driver's license.
(2)
Availability by pager, cell phone and/or radio 24
hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year is required.
(3)
Shall have certifications provided by the Maryland
Correctional Training Commission and the Maryland Department of Public
Safety and Corrections and shall be required to satisfactorily complete
Maryland Correctional Training Programs for Director-level correctional
positions.
E.
Tools and equipment used: firearms, restraining devices,
control room panels and automated systems, two-way radios and any
other radio equipment, personal computer, calculator, telephone, pager,
fax and any other equipment necessary to operate the Detention Center.
F.
Physical demands.
(1)
The physical demands described herein are representative
of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the
essential functions of Director. Reasonable accommodations may be
made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions.
(2)
The Director must be physically capable of moving
about in the Detention Center. Hand-eye coordination is necessary
to operate various equipment.
(3)
While performing the duties of Director, the Director
is frequently required to sit; and talk or hear. The Director is occasionally
required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or
controls and reach with hands and arms. The Director must occasionally
lift and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
(4)
Specific vision abilities required by the job of Director
include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision,
depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
G.
Work environment.
(1)
The work environment characteristics described herein
are representative of those the Director will encounter while performing
the essential functions of Director. Reasonable accommodations may
be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions.
(2)
Work is usually performed in an office and correctional
setting. While performing the duties of Director, the Director is
occasionally exposed to loud noise, verbal or physical abuse, stressful
situations and threats to his/her well-being or life. The noise level
in the work environment is normal to noisy.
