Homicide finding leads to arrest of warden, eight others
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt held a press conference Wednesday wherein he detailed the findings of his investigation of four inmate deaths at the Waupun Correctional Insitution, The Sheriff was particularly critical of Governor Tony Evers’ Department of Corrections. He said the DOC had several missteps.
As a result of Sheriff Schmidt’s investigation, nine people, including Waupun’s former warden, Randall Hepp, were arrested. Hepp, who resigned as warden just the day before his arrest, is charged with misconduct in public office. The others are charged with inmate abuse, which is a felony,.
Like Hepp, two correctional officers and a correctional sergeant are also charged with misconduct in public office.
All nine defendants had court appearances Wednesday.
Schmidt said that the DOC operated the oldest prison in the state in a dangerous and reckless manner.
There was a failure to properly staff– the facility operated at staff levels of less than 50%.
There was a failure to properly update the facilities to be safe for inmates.
The DOC failed to properly update or replace housing units.
There was is a failure to train staff and reinforce that training.
The DOC failed to hold staff accountable.
Overall, the Department failed to keep inmates in the institution, safe and alive and failed to provide a safe and efficient facility for the staff.
There was a failure to ensure compliance with policy, regulations and rules, and there was a failure to document when rounds were made with water was shut off the inmates and when medicine was and was not administered properly.
Evers’ Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr resigned just three days after Schmidt briefed him on the findings of the investigation. Schmidt said Carr was agitated when the details of the investigation were shared with him, however Carr took no responsibility and instead blamed Warden Hepp for all the issues at the prison.
Evers, who has been opposed to building new or redesigning old prisons to improve staff and inmate safety, similarly issued a statement in response to the arrests.
“Each and every person who’s failed to do their job to the high level that we expect or treat people in our care with the dignity, humanity, and respect they deserve should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law—it’s that simple,” Evers statement said.
