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LEFT: Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino (CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM PHOTO: No use without hyperlink)
The N.J. Department of Corrections has given the Bergen County Jail its seal of approval — this after the facility already won national recognition for excellence in operation.
“This is an excellent day for the men and women who tirelessly work at making the Bergen County Jail a safe and efficient facility,” Saudino said this afternoon. “My sincere congratulations go to Warden Robert Bigott, the command staff, Correction Officers and civilian staff who are responsible for these excellent marks.”
The DOC’s acknowledgment came after a three-day inspection that, Saudino said, found the county jail in full compliance with 622 requirements outlined in N.J.A.C. 10 A: 31, the “Manual of Standards for New Jersey Adult County Correctional Facilities.”
Earlier this year, Saudino’s department and the jail received certification from the American Corrections Association (ACA) CORE in recognition of its excellence in operation.
When it comes to correctional facilities here and nationwide, such honors aren’t window dressing. Earning accreditation helps identify a facility’s strengths and weaknesses, provides a better system of documentation and daily operations, and, in the process, helps keep morale up.
It also helps keep and liability down, a huge boon for Bergen County taxpayers (Think about it: When was the last time you heard of an escape or a lawsuit against any officers at the River Street facility in Hackensack?).
In fact, only two other jails in the entire state had gotten the ACA’s seal of approval — in Morris and Monmouth counties — until now (SEE: Study says Bergen County Police should be axed).
The grading system involves, among other factors, proper levels of security, quality of life, food service, medical care, access to the legal system, cleanliness, maintenance, training and administration.
Saudino is particularly proud of his group considering the budget cuts that had to be made this year and the ongoing discussions involving consolidating county law enforcement services in Bergen and merging other county jails into one (SEE: Keeping Passaic County Jail open: Not a done deal).
The 1,250-bed Bergen County Jail not only hold defendants awaiting trial. It also holds short-timers — those sentenced to 364 days or fewer — in either a minimum, medium or maximum security environment, as well as federal immigration detainees. Still, it has seen its staff shrink.
Although Saudino has said he is honored by the positive attention, “it is also a call to keep working hard to maintain the Bergen County Jail’s high standards and reputation.”
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