Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

News&Views

VIEW FROM THE LINE

Redefining courage and loyalty Active bystandership for the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities (AACDDF) By Christopher Klein

In December of 2023, the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities imple mented a systemwide program of active bystandership training. This is our story. F irst, I want to tell you about a suicide death. It is the suicide that keeps me up at night. I want to tell you about it … but I can’t. I can’t because it hasn’t happened yet. I don’t know who it might be or why they might decide to take their own life. Because I don’t know who it is, I cannot reach out to them and talk them into the help they need. To prevent this suicide, I need the help of each and every person I am responsible for. I need to enhance our Departmental culture. I need active bystandership. At the Anne Arundel County (MD) Department of Detention Fa cilities, we are proud of our jails and the people who work here. We have employees who are experienced, well-trained and motivated. We treat inmates/detainees with respect. Our staff courageously support each

other. Our leaders are innovative and compassionate. So why were we motivated to bring new training to Anne Arundel County? Why has Anne Arundel County decided to become the first jail in America to embark on a program that will train every staff member to be an active bystander? We have 297 certified officers and supervisors and a total staff of 436. With that many people, the probability of someone making a severe mistake is high. Sooner or later, a lock will be unsecured, or a search will not be completed.

Sooner or later, even an excellent officer will lose their composure or their temper, with consequences that can cost them their career or the County a lot of money. Sooner or later, one of our employees will be at risk of early retirement, discipline or even death by suicide due to the toll this job can have on any of us. When mistakes, deteriorating health and wellness or misconduct hap pens, it is almost always the case there are peers who witness the harm and could have prevented the harm. Becoming active bystanders

Photo courtesy of the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities (AACDDF)

Corrections Today | Winter 2024-2025

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