13 violations found in Somerville jails
By Andrea Gregory

Jail is not supposed to be a pretty place, but it is supposed to meet state regulations. The Somerville holding facility is not up to par with state regulations. As the city tries to remedy the situation, it knows it is working behind schedule.

On June 17, the lockup facilities at the Somerville police station were inspected by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. A letter addressed to Acting Police Chief Robert Bradley cited 13 violations. The city had 21 days to respond to the letter dated June 24. The letter warned that failure to respond or come up with a satisfactory plan to fix the problems could result in a hearing or even closure of the facility.

Capt. John O’Connor finally contacted the state on the city’s behalf on Monday – months after the deadline. He said the city is working to fix the problems and admits it should have been handled sooner.

“Somehow, this must have slipped through the cracks. And it wasn’t addressed in a timely manner. That’s a fact,” said O’Connor. “I assume responsibility.”

O’Connor said he was first made aware of the violations in mid-August. He said he believes the prior police captain was notifies of the problems in the holding facilities before he stepped in. But between retirements and the shifting of positions and duties, responding to the state’s inspection fell to the wayside.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone also said changes in leadership were to blame. He said the chief has assured him things will get fixed and there is a plan in place.

Messages were left for Acting Chief Bradley through the Mayor’s spokesman and at the station, but he did not return phone calls.

“We are well aware of the recommendation of the state, and things are going to be addressed,” said Curtatone. “We are on top of it, and it’s going to get done.”

Donna Rheaume, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, would not comment on the specifics of Somerville’s lockup facilities until reviewing the city’s plan.

“Somerville officials have told us they have completed their plan,” she said. “We can’t discuss that until we’ve seen it.”

What’s going on behind bars?

O’Connor said the lengthy list of violations was a bit of a shock.

“We have been inspected in the past and we have had problems. This is the first time there was such an extensive list of things,” he said.

The list of violation includes the following:
– The grates over the lights in all the male cells were found to be not suicide-proof.
– Lights were not working in the juvenile cells.
– There was no audio system and the cells were not within an audible distance.
– There was no date and time printout available from the electronic security device.
– Floors were chipped and dirt.
– Walls were dirty and peeling.
– Wrappers, cups and other trash were found in some cells.
– Two of the cells had insufficient water pressure.
– Some toilets were dirty.
– Benches were chipped and peeling.
– There was no bench in the holding cell.
– There were no clean, stored fire-retardant blankets, and a non fire-retardant blanket was found in a female cell.
– There was a strong foul odor in the male cellblock area.

“These aren’t things that haven’t happened in
other communities,” said O’Conner. “I do think we will be able to remedy the situation.”
According to O’Connor, light bulbs have been replaced, the cells have been steam-cleaned and the area has been sanitized and disinfected. He said the city has contacted the County Sheriff Department to have prisoners paint the inside of Somerville’s jailhouse.

However, O’Connor said he is not sure how all the violations will be corrected. He said the city will have to look at making the cells more suicide-proof. Currently, there is Plexiglas covering the lights and vents. But according to the state inspector, it is not sufficient.

“We haven’t had a serious injury in a cell in
quite some time,” said O’Connor. “They are saying this could happen here.”

The state inspector also found slits in the sink spouts and toilets that were not securely fastened to the floor “could possibly contribute to the commission of a suicide.”

In 2002, the city received a stellar grade during the inspection of the lockup facilities. Lt. Michael Cabral attached a memo with the inspector’s finding, saying Public Health Inspector Diane Bernazzani “said that the cell block area was a ‘palace’ compared to some of the facilities that she has inspected.”

The same anti-suicide precautions were in place then, said O’Connor. However, some prisoners have managed to damage the Plexiglas.

“They break them and they crack them,” he said. “Right now, we have a couple of cells we don’t use.”

O’Connor said the department is working diligently to come up with solutions and rectify all of the problems cited during the last inspection.