THE commissioner of the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Ray Johnson, has warned staff that he won’t tolerate officers who break the law, following revelations exposed by “CityNews” today (May 11) of a culture of drug taking and inappropriate conduct among some corrections officers.
“These allegations had been referred to the appropriate authorities and, as such, I am unable to comment on the specifics of the article,” he said in a message to staff. Mr Johnson is a former ACT chief police officer.
Neither he nor Corrections Minister Mick Gentleman have made any public statement regarding the explosive allegations of former and serving prison officers of out-of-hours cocaine parties, an affair with an ex-inmate, incriminating photos, senior staff in a hot tub with a junior female officer and integrity reports going ignored.
“Allegations of illicit drug use in any context are serious. If these allegations are accurate, such behaviour is wholly inconsistent with the role and responsibilities of being a corrections officer. Contrary to the implication that criminal conduct would be covered up, please know that the leadership team and I do not tolerate staff who break the law,” the commissioner wrote this afternoon.
“Not only does it bring the organisation into disrepute but it is also in contradiction with our role in rehabilitating those in our care.
“That said, both the minister and I know, as does the majority of the pubic, that this media reporting is not reflective of the culture of today’s ACTCS nor of the conduct of the vast majority of ACTCS staff.”
He asked staff not to be drawn into debate on the story, particularly on social media.
“This media reporting may lead ill informed people to comment negatively on ACTCS. We should not let the words of the ill informed impact on us making ACTCS an even greater and more effective place to work,” he wrote.
“My hope is that we have come some way over the past 12 months in improving ACTCS as a place to work.
“Please do not be disheartened by this reporting or let it detract from all the things we are achieving as an organisation.”
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