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Correctional Officer Jayme Biendl Murdered, Make Sure It Doesn't Happen Again
  1. Signatures
    3,475 out of 5,000
    Petitioning
    1. The Governor of WA
  2. Created By
    Taylor Leake
    Philadelphia, PA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

May 06, 2011

After correctional officer Jayme Beindl was murdered in that Monroe Correctional Complex by an inmate back in January, a number of investigations (including one by the National Institute of Corrections) showed that various safety precautions needed to be taken. Things like new safety curriculum for correctional officers, a pilot program for the use of personal panic button alarms and mace, and a study of the video monitoring at prison facilities.

Jayme's tragic case also showed that Correctional Officers needed a better way of expressing their concerns to those who could make changes. The most important recommendation was the creation of a committee to review safety concerns at each prison facility. They would include correctional officers, giving them a chance to voice their concerns in a more effective way.

Thanks to nearly 3,500 supporters here on Change.org who wrote to the state's Department of Corrections and legislature, those safety reforms are now a reality. The law mandates that most of the changes have to go in to effect by November 1st, and both the house and senate proposed budgets contain $6 million to make these important changes. "I think it is a legacy much deserved to our fallen officer" said Governor Gregoir after she signed the bill in to law, "we're saying to her we are going to do everything we can to make sure what happened to her doesn't happen to anybody else." You have helped make prisons in Washington state a safer place to work. Thank you and congratulations.

 

Work should not be a life threatening endeavor and employers should do everything in their power to make each and every workplace as safe as possible. This is especially true when a concern has been raised about a particular issue. 

Unfortunately, the Washington State Department of Corrections knew about a safety concern, but didn't do anything about it, and now a correctional officer is dead. Jayme Biendl worked for the Department of Corrections for 9 years. On January 29th, 2011 she was on duty in the Chapel at the Monroe Correctional Complex when it is suspected that an inmate murdered her. She was 34. 

The worst of it is, Biendl had complained earlier that she felt unsafe in the Chapel because she was alone and there weren't cameras. Unfortunately this issue wasn't fixed in time to prevent Biendl's death. There are simple things the Departmet of Corrections can do to help stop tragedies like this in the future: better training programs for guards, giving Corrections Officers personal panic buttons and mace, and, perhaps most importantly, giving Correctional Officers the chance to tell the Department of Corrections what they think needs to be fixed.

There are important safety changes that have been reccomended to the Department of Corrections after an investigation by the independent National Institute of Corrections. Write to The Washington Governor Christie Gregoire and ask to sign the bill that was unanimously approved by both the state House and state Senate.

Winning this campaign depends on our ability to call on thousands of supporters like you. After signing this petition, please follow us on Facebook - just click 'Like' at the top of the page. 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Please Make Sure You Address the Safety Concerns of Your Corrections Officers

Dear Governor

I am writing to urge you to make sure you are doing all you can to listen and address safety concerns of Washington State corrections officers. One of our correctional officers, Jayme Biendl, was murdered at the Monroe Correctional Complex recently. She had voiced concerns about her safety, but they were not addressed.

I know this death must sadden you as it saddens me. But the saddest part is that her death may have been prevented if more precautions had been taken. There are concrete changes that can be made to make correctional officers far safer: better training programs, giving Corrections Officers personal panic buttons and mace, and, perhaps most importantly, giving Correctional Officers the chance to tell the Department of Corrections what they think needs to be fixed.

The state Senate and state House have already passed a bill calling for these changes. I urge you to sign that bill into law and do all you can to ensure a tragedy like this doesn't happen again. Correctional Officers are on the front lines every day, and they deserve all the support you can give them.

I look forward to your reply at the responses email below.

[Your name]

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