Gause sits to our left of the female officer.
He is the burly one in profile with the black mustache.

Jerry L. Gause IS the errant guard known as 'Driveby'. His name was brought up during the investigation which was lead by Inspector Chester Green, of the IG's Office in Tampa. Gause, aka "Driveby" is a perfect example of an unprofessional guard.

We all have the same question - Why does the DOC keep him on?

This article courtesy of Kay Lee, and her Making the Walls Transparent web site. Please visit Kay's site to see through the walls of Florida's prison system.
MAKING THE WALLS TRANSPARENT

[There is] A Captain who has earned the title "Drive By" because he will order his Officers to randomly select three inmates in the Confinement Unit to use Chemical Agents on -- FOR NO REASON! He'll further instruct his Officers to start banging on tables and make noise so when he speaks with the Duty Warden, the person on the other side of the telephone (Duty Warden) will hear noise and banging, and authorize the "use of force."

Sincerely,

A Concerned Officer, who doesn’t believe in corporal punishment of inmates, and who swore to PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY!

NOTE: September 21, 2001: "Somebody just got sprayed in confinement, because someone threw water on the officer. They don't spray the good stuff here, like they do at Lancaster CI. At Lancaster, the spray would have the whole confinement dorm coughing & choking & messed up. The stuff they spray here only messes up that one room. The Captain that does it here at Hendry CI acts like he really enjoys it and he's laughing while he is spraying people's rooms. Actually, that stuff is better than the stuff they sprayed last week."
Anonymous

THE ANONYMOUS LETTER THAT SPARKED AN INVESTIGATION AT HENDRY CI

April 15, 2001

I believe we as Correctional Officers are supposed to set a role model which inmates can follow. We're there not only acting as Officers, but also as Counselors to prevent disturbances, and certainly assaults on fellow Officers. However, when a facility (such as ours) is supervising juveniles, that places it under the microscope, and the expectations of Officers are to be more professional, and hopefully make a difference in these kid's lives!

Just as something to look into. Hendry Correctional Institution is losing Officers at an accelerated rate. I can tell you as I write this letter (6) Sergeants, and (7) Officers will be leaving within the next (4-5) months. That's not counting July 1, 2001, when we're really going to have a serious problem with the (6) year-vested plan. If you THINK the sudden and continued turnover is because of those juveniles -- think again! Management at that facility is horrendous, and treats their employees in some cases, WORSE than they do inmates!

However, let me enlighten you on some of the things I have personally seen -- which if ever called upon I will testify to:

- Numerous UNDOCUMENTED uses or force

- The unnecessary use of Chemical Agents on inmates

- Inmates being handcuffed, and made to stand by a flag pole, while mosquitoes eat at them

- Inmates constantly referred to as "Worthless stupid mother fuckers..."

- A Captain who has earned the title "Drive By" because he will order his Officers to randomly select three inmates in the Confinement Unit to use Chemical Agents on -- FOR NO REASON! He'll further instruct his Officers to start banging on tables and make noise so when he speaks with the Duty Warden, the person on the other side of the telephone (Duty Warden) will hear noise and banging, and authorize the "use of force."

- An inmate (KID) being taken down, not resisting, then having a Captain place his foot on his head, while the other Officer goes to a dorm to obtain handcuffs. The inmate was non combative, and not resisting. This was viewed on shift as, "Funny." I ABSOLUTELY DIDN’T THINK SO!

Picture for a minute you being a media person, filming this kind of abuse to these juveniles, and having the general public see this. What would this do for the entire DOC image? The same image the Department of Corrections is trying so hard to change.

Numerous other things are happening at Hendry Correctional Institution, and they're not going to get better, I assure you. The Department asks for suggestions on their web site, and I have given them one, which is echoed by many. Send some of their executive muscle from Tallahassee to Hendry Correctional Institution, and make severe, needed, and certainly warranted changes to that current "dysfunctional administration" there!

What I written here is just a small pea, of what's been happening at Hendry Correctional Institution. There is much more inmate and staff ABUSE than you can imagine. One more thing, they (the administration) know when Ms. Villacorta (The Regional Director - Region IV) is coming to Hendry Correctional Institution, and they run around like chickens without heads trying to make everything right prior to her arrival.

However, once she's gone -- you should hear what they say to about her, to staff including newly recruited OJTs. I believe the Department’s objective is to retain the people they’re sending us, and when the troops hear and see things like the above, it doesn't help with morale. If there's a problem with upper management, KEEP IT WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT!!! Don't use slanderous language and gestures about Regional Directors in front of your troops. Especially the OJTs (New Officers) who by know are asking themselves, "What have I gotten myself into here... and eventually QUIT!"

Take a good long hard look at Hendry Correctional Institution. This facility's dysfunctional upper management, and their abuse is only placing this entire state agency at the risk of being stigmatized as staff and inmate abusers. Something I'm sure executive management in Tallahassee doesn’t want to happen. Also. Public Safety is at risk for numerous reasons. I’ll name just a few:

Staff is being ordered to drive back to work half asleep, thus endangering public safety. The majority of the Officers who work at Hendry Correctional Institution live 45+ miles away. Numerous times staff has complained about extreme fatigue, and tiredness while driving. Management threatens with discipline if they refuse to comply - DESPITE their safety and that of the General Public. The ones who have refused have received letters of counseling from the Warden stating that insufficient rest is not an excuse for failure to report back to work THE SAME DAY with less than 2 hours of sleep. When they ORDER an employee to get behind the wheel of a vehicle despite being impaired, and threaten they have decided to jeopardize the safety of the public they have sworn to protect. Right now the public is in DANGER, because Hendry Correctional Institution is severely understaffed, Officers over-worked, and inmates improperly supervised.

When will executive management act on this atrocity -- AFTER an inmate escapes and kills someone? Or will you take action when an officer or inmate is severely injured and sues the state, costing the taxpayers. After all, who do you think pays for all these suits against a State Agency? What is it going to take to make you people realize you have a severe problem brewing at this facility. CHANGE THAT ADMINISTRATION THERE AND HELP THE PUBLIC AND OUR OFFICERS by providing better working conditions. It’s only a matter of time before something bad happens with this improperly supervised facility!

Also, ask the Regional Director to pop-in one night UNANNOUNCED, have a member who's with her stay in the Control Room, so the Shift OIC can't be warned. Hopefully it will be on one of the nights when this abuse goes on. If what I hear about Ms. Villacorta is correct, I assure you several people will be FIRED by her that same evening!!!

You've asked for a suggestion, on the Department’s Web Page. I’ve also sent this to the media because THEY have a RIGHT to know. It appears this agency doesn’t care about what’s happening at Hendry Correctional Institution and their inhumane treatment of staff and inmates.

Please HELP US, the few left here who really CARE and want to make a difference, BEFORE IT’S TO LATE! Also remember the upper management at Hendry Correctional Institution are extremely retaliatory!

You have been warned, and the media has been advised. Act prior to a problem developing, or act to repair what is destined to happen.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Officer, who doesn’t believe in corporal punishment of inmates, and who swore to PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY!

GAUSE WRITES INCIDENCE REPORT ON C/O DAVID ORTIZ

Wednesday, March 06, 2002 9:48 AM

additional information

It's been almost 6 months since I resigned. For the record, I took an $8,000.00 cut in salary because I REFUSED to be a "do-boy" and/or a "good ole boy." That department doesn't like people who "write" and who "voice what's right and wrong". All they want are ...Yes Sir .. kind of people -- and if you're not THEIR KIND, they go out of their way to make life miserable.

[The DOC] has absolutely NO OPEN DOOR POLICY, in fact, it's not "management" it's a "dictatorship." Imagine, if they treat their OWN employees this way, how they treat the inmates they're suppose to PROTECT. For example, I was out on sick-leave because of sleep depravation (thanks to them). I was written up because I went on a Classification's Officer interview by (you guessed it) Captain J. L. Gause

GAUSE SAYS SLEEP DEPRIVATION NO EXCUSE

This Captain harassed me at home because "someone" sent that anonymous letter to various people (the one I forwarded to you), which caused him to be put under the spotlight ... ONCE AGAIN.

The rumor that was I wrote it, and so it was open game for Sgt. Ortiz. I have attached the Official Incident Report I wrote about this Captain's clear retaliation. Notice the date on this Incident Report (which is public record) is exactly seven (7) days after I spoke with Inspector Chester Green of the IG's Office, regarding the anonymous letter. Incidentally, Gause NEVER paid me for the two (2) hours I was entitled to for speaking with Chester Green from my home (the outcome of this huge investigation is ALSO public record). It will show everyone who was questioned, and what they had to say. You may find this interesting because EVERY officer at Hendry Corruptional Institution was interviewed, including yours truly.

This is just a pea of what these people do, and the tactics they use to harass people. There's much more where this came from. One more thing .. pull J. L. Gause's personnel file, and you'll discover ASSAULTS on STAFF, investigation for severe DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, anger management, and the list goes on. You can post the attached Incident Report if you like -- after all, it is Public Record. This information MUST be provided to anyone who requests it. The only thing which will be omitted from these documents would be the officer's address, phone number, social security number, and things of that nature. EVERYTHING else MUST be furnished unedited and in its entirety.

Anything I can do to help -- the public, elected officials, and the media -- ALL need to know.

Dave Ortiz

INCIDENT REPORT

NOTE: Because this document is not available to me in its original form, I will merely post the text of the Incident Report, but not the form.
LINDA TANT MILLER

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

INCIDENT REPORT

REPORTING INSTITUTION:
- Hendry Correctional Institution
- REPORT NUMBER:
- WITNESS(ES):

REPORTING OFFICER:
- D. Ortiz, Sergeant
- TIME OF INCIDENT:
- Approx.: 9:30 PM

PERSONS(S) INVOLVED:
- J. L. Gause, Captain.
- DATE OF INCIDENT:
- May 8, 2001 (Tuesday)

DETAILS OF INCIDENT:
On the above date and time, I called Hendry Correctional Institution, and asked to speak with Captain Gause. I called because (someone) an unidentified male, called my voice-mail number and left the following message, "Sgt. Ortiz, Captain Gause wants you to call him when you get in." This message was left on my voice-mail on May 8, 2001, at 2:23 PM. When I called Gause and informed him I was returning his call, he replied, "I’m sorry Sarge, but I didn’t call you, or have anyone call you for me." I apologized for interrupting him, and asked him if he had checked with Inspector Green concerning the two hours, which I am to be credited as "time worked" for meeting with him. Gause replied, "No Sarge, I haven’t seen Inspector Green, I was supposed to see him yesterday or today, but I haven’t yet."

Prior to ending our conversation Gause stated, "I heard you showed up here for an interview yesterday.." I informed him, this was correct. He then stated, "Well, I wrote an Incident Report because I feel you violated your sick-leave by showing up for an interview, yet you can’t report to work." He continued, "An Incident Report is ANY unusual incident which you feel needs to be reported..." I asked him if he felt my reporting for an interview at 8:45 AM, was considered unusual? He replied, "Damn right Sarge... you’re saying you’re on stress leave, yet you show up for an interview? I find all interviews very stressful..." I informed him I do NOT find interviews stressful, and assured him my medical sick leave is quite legitimate.

I then attempted to inform him my leave was related to working certain hours, tapering off medication, and my sleep pattern which has been severely affected. Before I could further inform him as to the specifics concerning my leave - he (Gause) replied, "Well, I must be misinformed then Sarge, but people write reports about me, so I’m going to write on my end to make sure everything is copesetic on the other end ... Know what I mean?" For the record, I feel this Captain is indirectly retaliating against me, and blatantly made it obvious by that last comment he made. I am therefore submitting this Incident Report and requesting a copy of THIS report (once it has been processed through the chain-of-command), and ALSO a copy of the Incident Report written by Captain J. L. Gause on Monday, May 7, 2001, where he states that he finds it highly unusual that I reported for an interview at 8:45 AM, but yet can’t report to work....

-05-09-01 SHIFT O.I.C COMMENT:

REPORTING EMPLOYEE DATE

COMMENT: (This section is not applicable as this Incident Report has been faxed directly to the Warden’s Office).

In closing, I find it odd, how it’s so "unusual" to report for an interview at 8:45 AM, yet nothing is considered "unusual" when I met with Inspector Green on May 1, 2001 (while on SICK LEAVE). This Captain is clearly fishing for a way to disapprove my leave, or is blatantly going out of his way to cause me undue stress and hardship. Finally, what I am going through is legitimate, and it’s unfortunate this Captain is writing about something he knows absolutely nothing of. However, when these comments come from someone who tells his Staff during briefing that they can go to Walmart for all the time off they want -- when it comes from someone who associates staying up late partying with being forced to work overtime -- and when these comments come from someone who clearly has an anger problem, I don’t find it hard to believe. Fact is, I find it quite sad. If Captain Gause chooses to write me up despite me being off on sick-leave, so be it. I suppose I’ll cross that bridge when and if that time comes. I may be wrong -- but the last time I checked, I really don’t recall seeing the letters "MD" suffixed to this Captain’s name. He’s out of line by making the aforementioned statements.

FACTOR 8: THE ARKANSAS PRISON BLOOD SCANDAL

Kelly Duda and Concrete Films have produced a documentary which details the corruption and greed that led the Arkansas Department of Correction to spread death from Arkansas prisons to the entire world. Hear the story from the mouths of those responsible for the harvesting of infected human blood plasma, and its sale to be made into medicines.

Duda's award-winning film unflinchingly documents the whole story the U.S. government and the state of Arkansas have tried to keep hidden from the world.

Click the photo of Kelly Duda at work to order your own copy of
"Factor 8: The Arkansas Prison Blood Scandal"

Click the photo of Kelly Duda at work to visit the
Factor 8 Documentary website

Please help spread the word about this important film,
along with the urls to the linked pages.

This PRUP (Prison Reform Unity Project) site owned by

Linda Tant Miller
[Previous 5 Sites | Previous | Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites ]

Read my Dreambook! Sign my Dreambook!