County officials: Jail's woes demand action

Several King County Council members questioned Thursday whether jail and health administrators are taking seriously enough a U.S. Department of Justice report that county jail inmates' constitutional rights are being violated by excessive force, sexual misconduct and substandard medical care.

Councilmember Bob Ferguson, D-Seattle, said language in jail and health officials' initial written response — which he characterized as "We see room for improvement" — was at odds with the Justice Department's tough language. "Let's be honest," Ferguson said. "This is a damning report."

In the council's first public briefing on the report, the Law, Justice and Human Services Committee insisted that it be told of the administration's response plan. Councilmember Reagan Dunn, a former assistant U.S. attorney, advised Jail Director Reed Holtgeerts and Dr. David Fleming, director and public-health officer for Public Health — Seattle & King County, to move quickly and aggressively to avoid a civil-rights lawsuit.

"The Department of Justice is not some group you want to mess with. They have an enormous amount of power," said Dunn, R-Maple Valley.

Dunn said the Justice Department report, in the form of a 27-page letter sent Nov. 22 to County Executive Ron Sims, "established a prima-facie case" that prisoners' rights are being violated.

In the letter, Acting Assistant Attorney General Rena Comisac said inmates weren't getting adequate medical care, weren't well-protected from the spread of drug-resistant diseases, weren't sufficiently monitored for possible suicide and were routinely subjected to pepper spray, sometimes when they were already restrained. Comisac blasted the jail's record on investigating complaints and said restraining inmates by pulling their hair was degrading and dangerous.

"We do not want to mess around with the Department of Justice," Holtgeerts told the council. "We are cooperating with them as much as we can."

Holtgeerts defended the use of pepper spray, but said it isn't the first choice in a "continuum of force. ... It starts with a verbal discussion with the inmate — you talk someone down." He said pepper spray isn't frequently used.

Doug Justus, president of the King County Corrections Officers Guild, said the federal report shows a need for better training of guards. The officers, he added, "do an impeccable job" with the training that is given.

Larry Gossett, the council's only African-American member, said he was "very concerned" about the report, in part because a disproportionate number of racial and ethnic minorities fill the county jail.

The Justice Department letter said King County officials cooperated with the federal investigation, but warned that the U.S. attorney general could sue the county if a settlement of the issues isn't reached within 49 days.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105

or kervin@seattletimes.com