AllenOakwoodCorrectionalInstitutionEscapeInvestigationReport

Summary

Background
OnThursday,September11,2014,inmatesLindseyBruce(A508485),ThomasLaneIII(A640654)and
CliffordOpperud(A579262)escapedfromtheOakwoodunitoftheAllenOakwoodCorrectional
Institution(AOCI)at7:38p.m.Allthreeinmateswereclassifiedasprotectivecontrol(PC),ahousing
assignmentdesignedforinmatesofallsecuritylevelswhorequireseparationfromthegeneral
populationfortheirownsafety.Theinmatesfashioneda13footladderoverthecourseofseveral
monthsfrommaterialsstoredinamaintenanceaccessarea,similartoacrawlspace.Thisareais38
incheshighatitsnarrowestheight,andislocatedjustinsidetheentranceofthewestwingrecreation
yardoftheOakwoodunit.Thedoortothemaintenanceaccessareawassecuredwithapadlock,which
theinmateswereabletobreach.Theinmatesutilizedtheladderduringtheeveningrecreationperiod
toaccesstheroofoftheadministrationbuilding,whichislocatedattheentranceofthefacility.Once
ontopoftheadministrationbuilding,thethreeinmatesjumpedapproximately15feetoffthefrontof
thebuildingandescapedthroughasoybeanfielddirectlynorthoftheprisonandproceedednorth
acrossBluelickRoad.Prisonsecuritysystemswereimmediatelyactivated,allowingforanimmediate
responsefromprisonofficials.Allthreewereapprehendedwithinhours.

TwoOhioDepartmentofRehabilitationandCorrection(DRC)CorrectionOfficersapprehendedthefirst
inmate,LindseyBruce,nineminutesaftertheescapeat7:47p.m.onprisonproperty.ThomasLaneIII
wasapprehendedinawoodedareaneartheprisonat1:20a.m.bytheOhioStateHighwayPatrols
SpecialResponseTeam.AnOhioStateHighwayPatrolcanineledofficerstotheinmates
location.CliffordOpperudwascapturedat4:22a.m.bythetaskforceafteracanineledlaw
enforcementtohim.Hewasapprehendedhidingunderaboatonaprivateresidence,northof
BluelickRoad.Allthreeinmatessurrenderedwithoutincidentduetothequickandprofessional
assistancefromtheAllenCountySheriffsOffice,CityofLimaPoliceDepartment,theOhioState
HighwayPatrol,DRCsSpecialTacticsandResponseTeams(STAR)andregionalSpecialResponse
Teams.Afterbeingapprehended,oneoftheescapeesattributedtherapidlawenforcementresponse
andquickestablishmentofasecureperimeterasthereasonhewasunabletomoveanyfurther.All
threeinmatesweresubsequentlytransferredbytheDRCSTARteamtotheOhioStatePenitentiaryin
Youngstown,thestateshighestsecurityfacility.

AOCIconsistsoftheOakwoodCorrectionalFacilityandAllenCorrectionalInstitution,previouslytwo
separateprisonsthatmergedin2011toachieveoperationalefficiency.Botharelocatedonthesame
groundsasLimaCorrectionalInstitution,whichclosedin2004.TheoverallpopulationatAOCIis1,606.
ThepopulationattheOakwoodunitis240,including65protectivecontrolinmates.TheOakwoodunit
housesamajorityofOhiosprotectivecontroloffenders.

Forinternaleducationandpublicrelease

IncidentInvestigations
Aninternalinvestigationimmediatelycommencedtoreviewtheincidentandidentifyfactorswhich
possiblycontributedtotheescape.Inaddition,duetothesignificanceofthisincident,DirectorGary
MohrrequestedanindependentreviewbytheAssociationofStateCorrectionalAdministrators
(ASCA),anationalgroupofcorrectionsexperts.FromSeptember2226,2014,fourASCA
representativeswereinOhioreviewingDRCsclassificationsystem(anumericalsystemrangingfrom
level1representingminimumsecuritytolevel5representingadministrativemaximumsecurity),
includinginitialsecuritydesignationandthesecurityreviewprocess,protectivecontrolplacementand
supervision,andtheoperationalandsecurityfeaturesoftheOakwoodunit.Boththeinternal
investigativereportandtheASCAreportarebeingsharedwithDRCfacilitywardensandselect
operationalstaff.Bothreports,however,containdetailedinformationaboutsecurityoperationsat
AOCIandareconsideredconfidential.Thissummarywaspreparedtosharekeyfindingsandcommon
themesofbothreviews,aswellasoperationalchangesthathavealreadybeenimplementedorthat
willtakeplaceinthefuture.Bothreviewsfoundconcernsintheareasofkeyandlockcontrol,security
features,inmateaccesstorestrictedareas,andtheoverallleadershipandmissionoftheOakwood
unit.

KeyInvestigativeFindings
Thefollowingarecriticalfindingsoftheinternalandexternalreviews:

1) KeyandLockControl:Thethreeinmateswereabletoaccessthemaintenanceareaoverthe
courseofseveralmonthstoconstructaladder.OnJune9,2013,aCorrectionOfficeratAOCI
wroteanincidentreportdescribingdiscardedwoodencabinetscontainingoldflashlightsand
batteriesfoundinthemaintenanceaccessareaduringasecuritycheckintheOakwoodunit.
Theadministrativeactionsthatoccurredfollowingthecompletionandsubmissionofthe
incidentreportareakeypartofanongoingevaluationofemployeeconduct.Uponthe
conclusionofthatevaluation,appropriatecorrectiveactionswilloccur.

CompletedActions:Thefollowingactionshavebeencompletedintheareaofkeyandlock
control:
Padlockslocatedincriticalareasofthetypeandkindtheinmateswereableto
successfullybreachhavebeenreplacedwithhighersecuritylocks.
Themaintenanceaccessareaisnowproperlysecuredandwillbeproperlyinspectedas
anunoccupiedspaceinaccordancewithDRCpolicy.

OngoingActions:Akeyandlockassessmentisunderway.IssuesofnoncompliancewithDRC
keyandlockcontrolproceduresarebeingconsideredforfurthercorrectiveaction.

Forinternaleducationandpublicrelease

2) SecurityElements:Duringboththeinternalandexternalassessments,asecuritycameraatthe
OakwoodUnitwasfoundinoperableduetoapreviouslightningstrike.Someperimeterlighting
wasalsofoundtobeinneedofrepairorreplacement.

CompletedActions:Thefollowingactionshavebeencompletedintheareaofsecurity
elements:
Aprivatecontractorwasonsitetoassessthedamagecausedbyalightningstriketothe
cameraandcameralines.
Allperimeterlightshavebeenfixed.
Additionalrazorribbonwasimmediatelyaddedtotopoftheadministrationbuilding
andotherareasattheOakwoodunit.
Perimeterfencealarmsensitivitylevelwasheightened.
AteamofDRCstaffconductedasecurityassessmentoftheOakwoodunit,anda
detailedplanofactiontoimprovesecurityhasbeendeveloped.

OngoingActions:Additionalsecurityenhancementsareongoingasidentifiedbythesecurity
assessment.PriortotheSeptember11,2014incident,theOakwoodunitatAOCIwas
undergoingperimetersecurityenhancements,whichincludeddetachingthesecurityperimeter
fromtheadjacentclosedLimaCorrectionalInstitutioninordertonarrowtheperimeter
specificallyaroundtheOakwoodunit.Thisisanongoingproject.

3) InmateAccess:Theinmateshadunimpededaccesstothemaintenanceaccessareaontheir
waytoandfromtherecreationyardandwereabletobreachthelocktoenterthearea.The
factthattheinmateshadaccesstothisareaisakeypartofanongoingevaluationofemployee
conductsurroundingtheescape.Upontheconclusionofthatevaluation,appropriate
correctiveactionswilloccur.

CompletedActions:Thefollowingactionshavebeencompletedintheareaofinmateaccess:
Immediatelyfollowingtheescape,theOakwoodunitwasplacedinamodified
lockdownstatustoevaluateoperationalproceduresandidentifytheneedfor
immediateactionsasitrelatestoinmateaccountability.
Therecreationyardwheretheescapeoccurredwasimmediatelyclosedandremains
closed.Analternaterecreationyardisbeingusedforthecurrentpopulation.
ThestaffingplanfortheOakwoodunithasbeenmodifiedtoensureincreased
supervisionduringinmaterecreationtime.

OngoingActions:Proceduralsecurityguidelinesarebeingevaluatedandreinforcedregularly.

Forinternaleducationandpublicrelease

4) OverallMissionoftheOakwoodUnitattheAllenOakwoodCorrectionalInstitution:Both
DRCsinternalreviewandtheASCAteamsreportnotedconcernswiththehousingofPC
inmates,includingall4securitylevels,withintheOakwoodunit.

CompletedActions:
Planswereunderwaybeforetheescapetorelocatehighsecurity(level4)PCinmates
fromtheOakwoodunittootherprisons.Alllevel4inmateshavebeenmovedfromthe
Oakwoodunit,severalofwhichweremovedbeforetheescape.Level3PCinmates
havebeentransferredtootherfacilities.

OngoingActions:Asaresultoftheescape,DRCisactivelyconductinganassessmentofthePC
population,aswellasthegeneralmissionoftheOakwoodunitattheAllenOakwood
CorrectionalInstitution,todetermineifanyadditionaloperationalchangeswillbemade.Final
decisionsregardingtheplacementoflowersecurity(levels1and2)PCinmatesareexpectedto
bemadeinthefirstquarterof2015.

5) FacilityLeadershipandCulture:TheASCAreviewfoundstaffattheOakwoodunitarevery
professionalandexperienced,butlackclarityaboutleadershipattheOakwoodunitanditsrole
withintheoverallmissionofAOCI.TheASCAreportrecommendedtheneedforahigherlevel
ofmanagementtohaveincreasedpresenceattheOakwoodunit.

CompletedActions:
Sincetheescape,therehasbeenincreasedpresenceofDRCandAOCIexecutivestaffat
theOakwoodunitonaregularbasis.
Becauseofthechallengespresentedandstillexistingfromthe2011consolidation,DRC
scheduledaculturalassessmentoftheentireAOCIcomplex.Thisassessmentwas
requestedbeforetheescapeoccurredandisscheduledforthesecondweekof
December.AculturalassessmentisatoolthatDRCroutinelyusestodiagnosethe
currentorganizationalcultureataparticularfacility.Theultimategoalistolaya
foundationforaculturalchangeprocessspecifictothefacilitysneeds.
AttheDirectorsrequest,theWardenhasacceptedapositionattheOperationSupport
CenterasaRegionalRecoveryServicesSupervisor,andtheDeputyWardenof
OperationshasbeendemotedtoanInspectoratAOCI.

OngoingActions:UpontheconclusionoftheOakwoodmissionassessment,DRCiscommitted
toprovidinganappropriatelevelofadministrativeoversight.DRCcontinuestoevaluatethe
findingsoftheinternalinvestigationtodeterminewhatadditionalcorrectiveactionsmay
result.Thoseemployeeswhoseactionsorinactionsmayhavecontributedtotheescapeof

Forinternaleducationandpublicrelease

Lane,Bruce,andOpperudwillbeheldaccountableandwillfaceappropriatecorrective
measures.

Closing
TheOhioDepartmentofRehabilitationandCorrectiontakesveryseriouslyitsresponsibilityof
operatingsafeandsecureprisons.DRCunderstandsandappreciatesthatwhenaninmateescapes
fromprisonitisverytraumaticforthevictimsofcrimeandimpactedcommunities.Throughbothan
internalandexternalreview,allareasofconcernhavebeen,andwillbe,thoroughlyaddressedto
ensurethesafetyandsecurityofourstaff,communitiesandinmatepopulation,andtopreventthis
typeofincidentfromhappeninginthefuture.

DRCwouldliketoextenditsappreciationtothemanyagenciesthatassistedtoquicklyapprehendthe
threeinmates,includingtheOhioStateHighwayPatrol,AllenCountySheriffsOffice,andtheCityof
LimaPoliceDepartment.

Forinternaleducationandpublicrelease