DOC officers find cellphone, chewing tobacco between prison fences – Pacific Daily News

Pacific Daily News, news@guampdn.com Published 3:51 p.m. ChT Aug. 7, 2017 | Updated 8:08 p.m. ChT Aug. 7, 2017

Contraband found between prison fences early Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, is shown in this photo provided by the Department of Corrections.(Photo: Courtesy of Department of Corrections)

Department of Corrections officers found a contraband package at about 3 a.m. Monday, between the prisons exterior and interior fences, according to a press release.

The package had a cellphone, a sandwich bag containing SIM cards and chewing tobacco, the release stated.

DOC has launched an internal affairs investigation into Mondays discovery. It was the latest contraband find since July 14, when officers discovered a dark gray drone that had crashed near the prison's Post 5.

Green is typically the color of corrections ... so it just made sense to use it in the name of this operation

The prison launched a contraband interdiction plan named Operation Green Vigilance on July 20. It is a combined effort of surveillance, use of metal detectors, drug detection dogs, pat downs, vehicle searches, increased perimeter checks and camera surveillance to combat smuggling, said Kate Baltazar, deputy director.

These methods are being applied consistently and with increasing effort, Baltazar said.

Green is typically the color of corrections, similar to blue being the color of police, so it just made sense to use it in the name of this operation, Baltazar said.

Following the discovery of the unmanned aircraft on prison property, Sen. Wil Castro, R-Barrigada, last month introduced legislation to ban flying drones within 1,000 feet over government facilities like DOC, the governor's complexand Guam Memorial Hospital.

The week before the drone was discovered, officers found a cellphone in Post 6or the prisons maximum security unit.

The prison is also investigating damage to the prisons inner fence, discovered during a perimeter check at about 7 p.m. onAug. 4.

Contraband found between prison fences early Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, is shown in this photo provided by the Department of Corrections.(Photo: Courtesy of Department of Corrections)

No other damage to the fence was found, and all inmates and detainees were accounted for, DOC said in a statement. There were no threats to the prison stemming from the damage, according to DOC.

As Operation Green Vigilance is in effect, we commend our correction officers for all they do to ensure our facility remains free from contraband as much as possible, Baltazar said in a release. The Department of Corrections is committed to employing all efforts in contraband interdiction.

Contraband findings at DOC this year

ITEM(S) FOUND

LOCATION

DATE ITEM(S) FOUND

1

Post 6, East Wing, Cell #1

1/10/2017

2

Post 6, East Wing, Cell #3

1/10/2017

Post 5

1/12/2017

3

Post 6, East Wing, Cell #3

1/19/2017

4

No location indicated on log book

1/19/2017

5

No location indicated on log book

1/19/2017

6

Contraband found on former corrections officer R.A. Pereira

2/1/2017

7

Post 6

2/16/2017

8

Post 5

2/23/2017

9

Post 6

3/2/2017

10

Post 5 common area

3/22/2017

11

Post 6, East Wing, Cell #1

3/29/2017

12

Parking lot, in food vendor van

3/29/2017

13

Post 5

5/2/2017

14

Post 6, South Wing

5/4/2017

15

Post 6

5/9/2017

16

Post 6 South Wing

5/16/2017

17

U.S. Renal Care Harmon while officer was on medical run

5/24/2017

18

Post 6, East Wing, Cell #1

6/2/2017

19

Post 5, East Wing Cell #3

6/13/2017

20

Zone 11, Post 17/Galley area

6/14/2017

21

Post 11, buffer zone

6/26/2017

22

Post 5, North Wing, shower room last stall

6/30/2017

23

Post 6, East Wing Cell #4

7/5/2017

Source: Department of Corrections

READ MORE:

Read or Share this story: http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/08/07/prison-officers-find-cellphone-chewing-tobacco-between-prison-fences/544128001/

Continue reading here:
DOC officers find cellphone, chewing tobacco between prison fences - Pacific Daily News