Critical Ads Reveal Double-Standard

This past week the Michigan Corrections Officers' union (MCO) took out ads in the Detroit Free Press giving Heidi Washington a "Failing" grade in her job as Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) director. The ads list several categories the MCO claims Washington has failed in. These include safe staffing levels in prison, employee morale, leadership, communication skills, corrections officer wellness, and transparency. The MCO's ads come on the heels of an open letter they also wrote calling for Washington's ouster as director. 

Former Republican governor Rick Snyder originally appointed Director Washington, but Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer retained Washington as director because of her successful record of leadership and innovative programs. Under Director Washington's leadership, Michigan's recidivism rate among returning citizens (paroled prisoners) has dropped to historic lows. 

The MCO's criticisms may have some element of truth to them. Operating a department the size of the MDOC is bound to have problems. But these criticisms are, at their core, politically motivated and self-serving. The MCO represents around 6,000 corrections officers. It is their job to represent the interests of those officers. Nevertheless, the MCO's criticisms reflect fear in their declining membership as incarceration rates fall in Michigan. They also reflect double standards. 

The MCO criticizes Director Washington for failing to "hold prisoners accountable for their action." However, the MCO fights to keep officers on the job who have patterns of physical abuse of prisoners and others who engage in regular practices of lying on prisoners in misconduct reports. The MCO also criticizes the director for failing to provide officers with "adequate and effective PPE in many instances" during the coronavirus pandemic. However, some MCO members routinely fail to properly wear the masks they are provided, and the MCO itself fought against mandatory covid-19 testing for its members. 

While the MCO would like to deny that officers are to blame for introducing the coronavirus into prisons, they are the most likely candidates. Prisoners are unable to leave prison, except for emergency medical reasons, so staff members are most certainly the ones introducing the virus into prisons. This is not a criticism of those who do so unknowingly (as we know may happen). The Governor's comments acknowledging this fact are not reckless. They are self-evident. Prisoners already know this fact. 

The MCO's open letter and quarter-page newspaper ads criticizing the director's leadership and asking for her ouster are nothing more than political moves to get rid of a leader who works hard to make Michigan safer. Fewer people going to prison means fewer corrections officers are needed. Let's be honest now. THAT'S the real reason the MCO wants Director Washington gone. 

Governor Whitmer continues to support Director Washington (as she should), despite the MCO's criticisms. Maybe before they start pointing the finger at a corrections director whose vision is a safer Michigan, the MCO ought to clean its own house and stop defending and supporting officers who fail to live up to standards the MCO wants to impose on Director Washington. It's time the MCO recognizes the old way of corrections and policing are no longer tolerable.