New Folsom Chief Acts to Curb Sexual Harassment

Newly confirmed Folsom Prison Warden Joe Campoy said Monday that he has moved to halt sexual harassment of female guards at the prison and is investigating charges of drug trafficking inside its walls.

Campoy, a veteran Folsom official who won Senate confirmation last week despite charges that he was a sloppy administrator and ignored complaints of sexual harassment, acknowledged that “there were some inappropriate things that had taken place.”

However, in his first press conference since the charges surfaced, Campoy denied that his negligence led to violence at the prison, as was charged, or that he had engaged in nepotism by hiring five of his relatives.

“There is no nepotism at Folsom Prison,” he said. “ . . . I will not concede there was negligence.”

Campoy pointed out that an internal investigation of 22 specific charges of sexual harassment had cleared him of wrongdoing.

However, in response to complaints from female guards that they were harassed by their male co-workers, Campoy said he has taken a series of actions, including requiring supervisors and guards to undergo training on how to prevent sexual harassment.

“I have ordered all the suggestive signs, pictures and graffiti eliminated,” he said.

Screens are being installed to shield toilets used by females from the view of inmates and male guards, he added.

“As soon as those things came to my attention, I initiated improvements,” he said. “I support the hiring of females.”

Campoy declined to discuss the investigation into what he called “drug trafficking” at the prison.

However, Corrections Department spokesman Robert Gore said later that the probe began a month ago into charges that some prison employees are using illegal drugs while they are working.

“The initial inquiry focuses around a few employees allegedly using drugs on duty,” Gore said. “The allegations came from current and former employees at the prison.”

Campoy noted that he has five relatives who work at Folsom Prison and that there are a total of 157 employees who have relatives working there.

However, he denied the charges of nepotism, saying that all of the employees had to pass a detailed Civil Service procedure before they could be hired.

Campoy’s nomination as warden by Gov. George Deukmejian touched off a series of well-publicized charges from legislators and prison employees. On Thursday, he won Senate confirmation by a vote of 21 to 15--the bare majority required.

He said Monday, however, that he is relieved by the result, not embittered by the accusations.

“If that’s what it takes to arrive at what I felt was a satisfactory outcome,” he said, “I have no complaints about the process.”