Department of Corrections

Senior Leadership Models the Way with Correctional Executives Certification

For information contact: Melinda Brazzale, Public Information Officer, 307.777.6085 mbrazz@wdoc.state.wy.us

The Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) announces that all senior leadership in the Division of Prisons has attained the Correctional Executives Certification (CCE) from the American Correctional Association (ACA), following the example set by the director of the department, Robert O. Lampert.

“I’m pleased to say that our senior leadership is modeling the way,” said Director Lampert. “Our goal is to raise the professionalism of those in our department; earning this certification is one more way of demonstrating that professionalism.”

According to Director Lampert, the WDOC is working toward having all staff in the Division of Prisons eventually becoming certified at the appropriate level. “An additional benefit of staff working towards becoming certified is that it will help them see the importance of our prisons and central office becoming ACA accredited,” he explained.

The department already requires participation by uniformed staff in ten weeks of preservice training and Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification coupled with ongoing quality in-service training.. The ACA certification is an additional way that staff can exhibit the high level of professionalism encouraged by the WDOC.

“We are working towards being the benchmark correctional agency in the United States,” explains Director Lampert. “It is by setting these high standards of professionalism that we will achieve that goal.”

Those in addition to Director Lampert, who have attained the Correctional Executives Certification, include the division administrator (Patrick Keppler), all five wardens (Mike Murphy, Dan Shannon, Ken Keller, Steve Hargett and Eddie Wilson), a deputy warden (Mike Pacheco), and three deputy administrators (Dawn Sides, Scott Abbott, and Jerry Steele).

Wyoming Inmate Brown Dies in Oregon

For more information contact: Melinda Brazzale, Public Information Officer, (307) 777-6085; e-mail mbrazz@wdoc.state.wy.us

Earl Leroy Brown, Sr., a Wyoming inmate, died Tuesday, October 13, 2009, at the Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla, Oregon, after a long illness. He had been housed there since January 2009.

Mr. Brown was sentenced on November 7, 2001 by District Court Judge Keith Kautz in Goshen County to three consecutive sentences of 7-10 years each for third degree sexual assault and a fourth sentence of 1-3 years for felony possession of forged writing to be served consecutively to the first three sentences.

Mr. Brown was born on July 26, 1958 in Powell, Wyoming.

As per departmental policy an autopsy has been ordered.

WMCI Quarterly Prison Community Partnership Committee Meeting in Torrington November 4

For information contact: Melinda Brazzale, Public Information Officer, (307) 777-6085, e-mail mbrazz@wdoc.state.wy.us

The next quarterly meeting of the Prison Community Partnership Committee for the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution (WMCI) will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The location is Eastern Wyoming College, Tebbett 131. As always, the public is encouraged to attend. This meeting replaces the one previously scheduled for October 14, 2009.

Agenda items will include an update of the prison construction and opening, upcoming open houses and tours, training at Camp Guernsey.

For more information contact Rick Patterson, Committee Chairman, (307) 532-8344, e-mail richard.patterson@ewc.wy.edu