The company says it’s exiting the jail because of Oklahoma County’s “chronic, severe” lack of security staff. The jail is moving forward with plans to find a new medical provider to avoid medical care interruptions for detainees.
Prison contractor The Geo Group tried to negotiate a $3 million pay increase with Oklahoma this year. But records show state prison officials found the company violated its contract by failing to lock prisoners in their cells, conduct security checks and leaving prisoners alone in pods without staff supervision.
A tight budget means there’s little money to hire adequate staff or give employees a raise.
Turn Key’s contract with the Oklahoma County jail trust has expired and a vote on a new deal has been delayed. The company is now working on a month-to-month basis at the jail.
When jailers don’t check on arrestees, the consequences can be deadly. Jail officials have tried boosting detention officer pay and hiring a private staffing company to help, but say more funding is needed.
An Enid resident organized a protest after the Garfield County District Attorney’s Office dropped criminal cases against former Robert M. Greer Center staff. Protestors called for law enforcement to interview additional witnesses.
Menacing guards, threats at gunpoint, workers held against their will and never paid — a Chinese immigrant describes the harsh and violent conditions on an illegal pot farm. Three years after he escaped, he still lives in fear.
Emmanuel Littlejohn, 52, has been on death row for 32 years. Gov. Kevin Stitt is faced with the decision to commute his sentence or move forward with his execution.
