Change Coming To Delco Prison Councilman Says — Delaware County (Pa.) Council was berated, last night, June 18, once again regarding conditions at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility but this time one council member promised action.
“Change is coming,” said Vice Chair Richard R. Womack.
In public comments Kathy from Haverford blasted Councilman Kevin M. Madden, who is prison liaison, for public comments he made saying they were false. She brought up the death of inmate Andrew Little and said there was a cover-up of how it happened.
Kimberly Brown of Colwyn, a case manager at Hill, said that Madden will believe anything Warden Laura Williams tells him.
She said the jail is “melting” and the temperature was at least 100 degrees in one cell block
Frank Kwaning, president of the Delaware County (Pa) Prison Employees Independent Union, told the board that they have a petition with 500 names declaring no confidence in Ms. Williams.
He said that the prison has become a place of chaos in the two years the county has been in charge.
Kwaning blasted Madden for telling what he called “half truths and lies.” He said workers at the prison suffer harassment and retaliation for speaking out.
Correctional Officer Albert Johnson of Morton praised Womack and Executive Director Barbara O’Malley for visiting the prison but said what they saw didn’t reflect what was happening.
He said “the officers and sergeants and lieutenants and everyone” are demoralized.
He said Delco residents shouldn’t have to pay for the lawsuits coming up.
A woman named Carter, who was an investigator at the prison, said discrimination was rampant there.
“I never worked on a place where people could be fired so easily,” she said.
People are written up for minor offenses without being told, she said. These write-up are used against them if they should upset those in charge.
“That jail feels like a cult sometimes,” she said.
She said good people are either being fired or quitting.
It’s supposed to be a career job, she said.
She said certain people shouldn’t be in certain positions without training or experience.
This sounded like a dig at Warden Williams whose career in corrections in 2014 as a substance abuse counselor.
Womack said that it is undeniable that people are being fired or leaving.
“You ain’t going to tell me something is going on,” he said.
He pointed out that he was just one of five councilmembers but he was not going to let the chaos continue.
“Change is coming,” he said.
Madden, who attended the meeting remotely, declined to defend himself when his turn came during council comments.
