By Rob Stallworth
Tom Clements, Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Corrections, was allegedly assassinated at his home in Monument, Colorado, by a gang member and former inmate. It blazed across the news like wildfire and many, like me, were stunned. He had only been with Colorado D.O.C for a couple of years, after spending more than 30 years with the Missouri Department of Corrections, initially starting his career as a probation officer.
It’s a known fact that those who work inside the brick, mortar, and steel walls of our numerous jails and prisons come under attack on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports correctional officers have one of the highest rates of on-the-job injuries, mainly because of inmate assaults. It’s a dangerous job and it takes a special kind of soul to work in the corrections field, whether inside or out.
Because of Clements death, most Departments of Corrections are on high alert, concerned for staff safety and security beyond the walls of where they work. For example, the Virginia Department of Corrections issued a memo to its staff reminding them of personal safety procedures: “While we are all aware of the inherent safety concerns in the business of corrections, the recent events have served to remind us that we must remain vigilant in our individual safety practices at work and in our own personal lives.”
Correctional agencies are advising correctional, probation, and parole officers to keep a close watch of their surroundings, take alternate routes to and from work, familiarize themselves with gangs, remain professional, and most of all protect themselves and their loved ones from harm.
I worked as a Gang Specialist for Virginia’s D.O.C for several years before being promoted to my current position as Deputy Chief. I have not forgotten the threats, intimidation techniques, or this simple truth: Some people wish to do you harm just because you represent an arm or leg of law enforcement.
The investigation into Clements death still unfolds, with new information that is startling to some. The suspected assassin, Evan Ebel, comes from an upper middle-class background and joined white supremacist prison gang, 211 Crew, when he first showed up to prison in 2005 to serve an eight-year sentence, according to the Associated Press. The Southern Poverty Law Center considers the 211 Crew one of the most dangerous white supremacist gangs inside U.S. prisons.
Ebel had previously made threats to correctional officers’ families in the past, according to reports. “In 2006, he slipped his handcuffs, punched a guard in the face and threatened to kill the man’s family,” according to the AP article. He pled guilty to the assault, was sentenced to another four years of time, but got out of prison in 2012 because of a “clerical error.”
He was released onto parole supervision in January this year and because of his high risk, placed on intensive supervision along with electronic monitoring and was doing fine. According to Tim Hand, Director of Colorado D.O.C.’s parole division, “what’s a surprise is…this individual from late January to the middle of March seemed very much focused on doing what was expected of him.” Reports show Ebel slipped out of his ankle bracelet and the rest is tragic.
Now, we are left with picking up the pieces, fixing the holes and plugging the leaks in the cracks of a system that we work in, in order to prevent any further tragedies from taking place, literally, at our front doors. However, the line has been drawn and war has been declared beyond the walls.
About the Author
Rob Stallworth is a Deputy Chief Probation and Parole Officer for the Virginia Department of Corrections in the Manassas, Virginia Field Office. His career spans more than 15 years with the department where he has served in various positions such as Gang Specialist and Academy Adjunct Instructor. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University in Washington, D. C. He is also a member of American Military University’s Public Safety Outreach Team.