Office of Professional Standards [2015]

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS |Office of Professional Standards

Overview
Established in 2005, formerly Office of Investigations & Complaince, the office efficiently and effectively coordinates, collaborates, assimilates and disseminates information, findings and intelligence to the leadership and staff of the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), as well as external local, state and federal entities and agencies.
The Office of Professional Standards falls under the Executive Operations division and is comprised of five (5) Individual Units and two (2) Statewide Program Coordinators. To protect and serve the public, employees and offenders by gathering information, examining operations, enforcing departmental standards and laws and recommending solutions.
Mission: To protect and serve the public, employees, and offenders by gathering information, examining operations, enforcing departmental standards and laws, and recommending solutions.

Rape Corruption Fraud Drug possession Theft Sexual harassment Investigators receive extensive training Units work closely with state, local and federal law enforcement partners
STATEWIDE PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT (PREA) COORDINATOR
Staffed by (2) Senior Staff Members Responsible for ensuring that the GDC is in compliance
with the National PREA Standards Accomplished by conducting audits, training, drafting guidelines and policies
Works closely with Facilities and Probation leadership

Audits & Compliance Unit
Mission: To evaluate the operations through comprehensive audits of facilities and field offices (facilities and probation circuits) utilizing departmental standards and ensuring safe, secure and efficient operation.
Comprised of (14) senior staff members Audit topics cover all areas from accounting to security and
safety Audit findings are addressed immediately and a follow-up
audit is conducted regarding the findings within 90 days In fiscal year (FY) 2014, over 155 audits were performed
Internal Investigations Unit
Mission: To enforce departmental standards and laws Conducts criminal and administrative investigations related to the GDC Comprised of (43) seasoned staff Investigations involve both staff, offenders and civilians Case examples are: Aggravated assault

Intelligence Unit
Mission: To collect, evaluate and analyze information and disseminate intelligence data regarding subversive and criminal activity involving inmates, probationers or employees of the GDC.
Goal: To provide operational support to the Office of Professional Standards, Facilities Operations and Senior Leadership. Provides Executive staff with real-time information.
Comprised of nine (9) staff members Gather information from a myriad of sources and vetted for
relevance and accuracy Involved in numerous partnerships with state, local and fed-
eral law enforcement Enjoy a robust relationship with the Georgia Information
Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC) GISAC is one of 72 U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated fusion centers in the country created by state and local agencies to enhance communication and information flow between local, state and federal agencies
STATEWIDE SECURITY THREAT COORDINATOR Mission: To identify Security Threat Groups and Individuals and to track their activities and movements.
Operates from within the Intelligence Unit

Oversees the daily efforts of the Security Threat Group Investigators at each facility

Staff serve as a bridge between concerned civilians, the inmate population and the GDC staff FY2014: 10,744 Ombudsman customer concerns were addressed (letters, emails and phone calls)

Inmate Affairs and Ombudsman Unit
Mission: Ensure that the rights and safety of offenders are protected. Promote fairness, accountability and integrity by investigating public and offender grievances, appeals and inquiries regarding unfair practices and non-compliance of policy.
Comprised of six (6) staff members Act as liaison between community and Department pertain-
ing to the care and safety of an offender Receive and document complaints made against Department
by offenders' friends and family Interface with Criminal Investigations Unit, Criminal Intel-
ligence Unit and PREA Coordinator to help resolve issues
INVESTIGATORS Comprised of (20) staff Conduct administrative investigations Investigations are related to inmate grievances and disciplinary reports FY2014: 6,019 grievance appeals were investigated FY2014: 3,340 disciplinary appeals were investigated FY2014: 2,401 Use of Force reports were reviewed
CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS Comprised of five (5) Ombudsman Unit agents

Fugitive Apprehension Unit
Mission: To recapture escapees from GDC's facilities. In addition, they conduct criminal investigations to locate and apprehend wanted, dangerous sexual predators.
Comprised of (14) highly trained Investigators and (1) Criminal Analyst, who conducts research for the investigators.
Sex Offender Apprehension Team, a subset of the unit, focuses specifically on absconded sex offenders.
Partnered with the U.S. Marshals which allows the unit to access worldwide resources as well as acts as a force multiplier. FY 2014: there were 109 escapes and absconds from GDC custody. All recaptured. FY2014: 1,159 fugitive cases were closed FY2014: 179 wanted sex offenders were apprehended FY2014: the unit assisted other agencies with 622 arrests

7/2015