ABERDEEN, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Corrections was fined $60,000 by Labor and Industries (L&I) for failing to enforce COVID-19 masking and social distancing rules at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen.
L&I began an inspection on the corrections center after a correctional officer working at the facility died of COVID-19 in June of 2021, according to a press release. A correctional officer employed by Stafford Creek had previously died in December of 2020.
During the inspection, another correctional officer was diagnosed with COVID-19 and died one month later. There have been 1,244 COVID-19 cases and five deaths in inmates at the facility, according to state data.
L&I's investigation found the Department of Corrections (DOC) did not enforce social distancing or masking procedures and didn't ensure employees working with others wore face coverings or masks at all times.
Stafford Creek was fined $9,000 in June of 2021 for the same violations. After the latest inspection, the DOC was cited for a "willful serious violation."
In response, the DOC has stepped up enforcement of masking and social distancing rules, installed Plexiglas barriers in some cubicles, changed traffic flow to separate incoming and outgoing personnel, removed benches from the foyer of the facility and separated other chair locations and now requires a manager to review surveillance camera videos to ensure compliance, according to a release.
The DOC released a statement saying the lack of enforcement at the facility was worrisome:
“We care deeply about the safety of staff and incarcerated persons and this compliance issue at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) is troubling. We are disappointed to see any incidence of non-compliance and I have called for a review of the safety culture at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.
"The Department is continuously working to ensure compliance with proper masking and social distancing protocols. Our state’s emergency response to COVID-19 has been robust in supporting staff safety, including mandatory vaccination of all employees. Information about our proactive and comprehensive efforts to address the risks of the COVID-19 is available on the COVID-19 section of the DOC website.”
