Pubdate: 12 Mar 2005
Source: Birmingham News, The (AL)
Copyright: 2005 The Birmingham News
Contact:  http://al.com/birminghamnews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/45
Author: Carla Crowder

WARDEN'S MEMO PUTS HIM ON LEAVE

Days before being placed on mandatory leave, Donaldson Correctional 
Facility Warden Stephen Bullard sent out a memo warning of "catastrophic 
circumstances" at the prison.

"I am concerned that it is going to take a lawsuit, riot, death or serious 
injury for anyone to take this crisis seriously," Bullard wrote in the 
March 1 memo to Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Donal Campbell.

The warden's concerns focused on correctional officers, who have been 
forced to work overtime, sometimes 32 hours per week. The staff shortage 
took a toll on him, as well, affecting his health, patience and tolerance, 
he wrote.

On March 4, Bullard was informed that Campbell had placed him on a 
mandatory 10-business-day leave, which could be extended. Department of 
Corrections spokesman Brian Corbett said that, because the leave is an 
administrative matter, he could not comment on the reasons for it. Campbell 
has acknowledged the staffing shortages and crowding at Donaldson. He 
approved a 5 percent pay differential for Donaldson officers in an attempt 
to recruit more to the ranks. Bullard used stronger language, however, and 
said the state was taking advantage of employees.

"It is also my opinion that should an employee be injured or even sue for 
harassment on unfair ... employment practices the department would have no 
legal standing to defend these charges," he wrote. With space for about 
1,000 prisoners, Donaldson houses 1,625, crowding that has overloaded the 
prison's sewage system. It houses many mentally ill inmates and some of the 
people on Death Row.

Bullard said in an interview that he has asked many times to be transferred 
to another prison but was turned down.

"Donaldson is considered by most in the department to be the most stressful 
institution in the state," he said. "I've paid my dues. I've been there for 
five years, and it's somebody else's turn." Most recently, officers are 
refusing to work mandatory overtime, calling in sick and requesting 
counseling and medication. It's become difficult for him to force overtime, 
he wrote in the memo.

Still, Bullard said that these are conditions he's spoken about in the 
past. And it's never resulted in forced leave, which he did not want to 
take. "I'm very, very confused. I don't understand the tactic that is being 
used, and hopefully it will resolve itself," he said.
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