Harford County Detention Center Warden Elwood DeHaven will retire this month after nearly five years in the position, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office said Nov. 16, and no new warden will be named.
Sheriff Jesse Bane cited the current state of the economy and long-term restructuring plans in his decision not to appointment a replacement.
DeHaven’s last day on the job will be Friday, though his last day as an employee will be Dec. 1 due to holidays and unused leave time according to Harford County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Monica Worrell.
Oversight of the detention center will fall to Major Michael Capasso of the agency’s Corrections Bureau. Worrell said the transition is ongoing and exact details of how the warden’s duties would be covered were still being worked out.
DeHaven was a member of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office from 1978 until February 2007, when he retired as a major. One day later, he took up the civilian position of warden.
In that role, he oversaw a major $29 million expansion of the jail which will increase its capacity to approximately 800 inmates from a current 500 and add a variety of modernized facilities and units.
In a statement, Bane said DeHaven would not be replaced due to cost considerations.
“This decision was made in light of today’s economy and long term plans to restructure the operations to ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency throughout the agency,” Bane said.
Capasso, a 25-year veteran of the department who has worked at the detention center for virtually all of that time, was promoted to major in February to serve as assistant warden. Capasso was The Dagger’s guide on two walk-throughs of the existing facility and the new addition earlier this year.
Responding to questions from The Dagger about the change in command structure at the detention center, Harford County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Monica Worrell provided the following information:
How long has there been a warden at the detention center? Has there ever not been a warden position (as opposed to just no one filling that job) for any period of time?
There has always been an agency head or commander at the Harford County Detention Center. Under common law, the Sheriff of a jurisdiction is the warden. Sheriff Comes appointed the first “warden” around 1992. John O’Neil was the first person to serve in Harford County with the title of “warden”.
What is the reasoning behind the warden having been a civilian position in the past? What has changed now, not just financially but organizationally, that caused it those responsibilities to be shifted to uniformed, sworn personnel?
Prior to the appointment of O’Neil, the responsibilities for managing Harford County’s detention facilities had been handled by a sworn law enforcement officer assigned to the post. This restructuring is about removing a layer of bureaucracy. Sheriff Bane stated that he is looking to scale down the bureaucracy.
As a civilian position, what was the warden’s interaction/connection with the uniformed command structure? That is, as a command position within HCSO, but a civilian one, did the warden operate on a different basis than would a colonel or major in another branch?
The agency is divided into four bureaus of operation:, Police Services, Investigative Services, Services and Support and Correctional Services. The first three bureaus are currently led by Majors. To date, the Correctional Services Bureau is led by an individual with the title of Warden. All are members of the Harford County Command Team. Following DeHaven’s retirement, the Correctional Services Bureau will be lead by a Major, thus mirroring the existing three bureaus within the agency.
Was the warden more autonomous than other sworn personnel of equivalent responsibility? By bringing those responsibilites under the purview of someone in the uniformed HCSO chain of command, it seems that the sheriff is now, in effect, the warden?
The Sheriff has always been the Warden of the Harford County Detention Center under common law. The Sheriff holds all accountability for Detention Center.
Warden DeHaven left uniformed service to take up the job in early 2007, as one of Sheriff Bane’s first appointees. Why was the position not considered for elimination at that time?
In speaking with Sheriff Bane, he identified that as a new Sheriff that was not a part of his original plan as they were just beginning the expansion of the HCDC. Sheriff Bane wanted someone with strong expertise throughout the upcoming expansion process that was about to take place. Then Major DeHaven, now Warden DeHaven had been an integral part of every expansion effort the detention facilities of Harford County had experienced since 1978. Even though Sheriff Bane knew DeHaven only wanted to remain on board long enough to see the expansion completed, he wanted him in the Warden’s position to oversee the process.
What specifically were the warden’s duties, and what is the current, working plan to cover them or divide them up? How will those duties change or increase given the large new wing of the detention center which will increase the facility’s population?
A warden’s duties make him responsible for the administration of the Harford County Detention Center. Those duties and responsibilities are being transferred to the Assistant Warden aka the Major in charge of the Corrections Services Bureau. As stated earlier, Sheriff Bane is attempting to eliminate a layer of bureaucracy. Currently, the population of the HCDC is consistent with this time last year. Sheriff Bane stated that as the population of the HCDC increases, it may become necessary to reassess staffing levels and even consider the position of warden again. Right now, he believes there will be greater “efficiencies of operations” with this restructure. In so doing, he is doing what any other leader of a major corporation would do if he sees a change in operations is needed.
Elwood DeHaven
Wow what will they do without him he has be in the administration at the Detention Center sence 1988! Bane promoted him to Warden even though he campaigned againest him and had several no confidence votes broth forth by the union to no avail. The place needs to have a Warden. The staff is working critically short and they need Major Capass promoted to Warden to lead the devision during these trying time!
It is great news on the retirement of Dehaven. I have worked for this man for many years. He has no sense of employee relations. Between him and Capasso neither one could make a decision. The only time you would see Dehaven on the floor of the detention center was enroute to lunch or the smoking dock.
Retired&loving it: Since you have spent so much time at the DC, who would you like to see in the Warden’s position?
I agree that the jail needs a warden/leader. However I don’t agree that it should be Capasso. While he may know his job I don’t think he has the interpersonal skills to hold that position. I believe someone who has been in a warden’s role before should be there to lead in these uncertain times.
This is an interesting view. Under this logic though you could only hire a wareden to fill a warden role and nobody new can ever move in and become a warden and so when all the warden’s die/retire, nobody would be left to run the system. Of course they would never retire because as the job pool gets smaller and smaller you’d have to offer more and more money in order to get a warden. To say that a deputy warden can’t step up to be a warden (in general) is such a huge short sighted way to view things. Only a president could be president and only a CEO can be a CEO.
I know there is probably more to do with the situation than you are letting on, but to say that only another warden can serve is a backwards view that continues the status quo of any system.
FactCheck: I was not making a blanket statement. I was under the impression we were talking about THE HARFORD COUNTY DETENTION CENTER, not all detention centers.. Unless I’m missing something?????
Capasso is brand spanking new to the Major role and in my opinion not ready for anything else. With the new administration shifts, “economic uncertainty”, and problems being experienced at the DC, I believe what is needed is someone from the outside that can come in with a fresh view and make much needed changes. Hopefully “business as usual” won’t continue to be the norm.
Harshreality, do you have anyone in mind that could fill the Warden position, given the “economic uncertainty” of today? To believe that Jesse will assign anyone to the DC as Warden, who has not already played ball on Jesse’ team is a pipe-dream. But you can always dream!
Any chance Bane can step down and save the county some more money too? Would be great for re-structuring!
Please don’t make this an issue that is going to disparage some. Warden DeHaven has been a good man and deserves to be treated like a good man. Sheriff Bane is doing the best job he can in this economic times.
Warden Elwood DeHaven is indeed a good man, always has been. Sheriff Bane is indeed doing the best job that he can, however, the economic times have nothing to do with the Sheriff’s ability to do the job.
Look out CO’s, Colonel Carlavero or Major Presbury will arrive shortly to get things right at the Detention Center. After all, we all know that only a qualified Law Enforcement Officer is able to make things right at the DC. Look for one of those two to retire within the next six months and take the Warden position.
Unfortunatly the law enforcent side really doesn’t know how the corrections side works. Nor do they probably care. The detention center is like a bastard child, better seen and not heard.
I don’t think it needs both a major and a warden but on the other hand I don’t think the major is ready to be the warden. It will take some one with corrections experience to run the DC but that experience should be mostly from actually being on the floor and not in an office, and I don’t mean a casual stroll down the halls.
On paper the DC runs well and the administration is quick to point at the awards on the wall. the day to day in the trenches is quite a different story.
I am hopefull that some changes will be made and the boots on the ground will benefit from that.
I take it you do not believe that the Colonel or Major is headed to the DC? I agree that LE does not know how to run a lock-up, nor do they care.
I don’t care who gets the Warden job but whoever get it they can’t spend 4 hours a day outside smoking cigarettes or wraped around the coffee pot. They have had that for too long and need a leader not an out of touch yes man!!
@Someone who knows. You can be certain that Sheriff Bane will appoint someone who is ‘in touch’ and not a ‘yes man’. NOT!!! Simply stated… you can not work for Jesse Bane if you are not a yes man. You really don’t have to know what you are doing… just say yes to Jesse and you are in.
Retired: you are right. It’s an exclusive club and membership requires compliance. I can’t say I have anyone in mind that can do any better than what’s happening there now. Maybe sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona is looking for a change of scenery??
HarshReality, Sheriff Joe would be a great choice, but unfortunately I don’t believe he is looking for a change.
It would appear that Warden DeHaven’s departure is a result of Jesse assessing that the Warden was no longer capable of keeping a lid on the Officer unrest and concerns regarding their safety. This has been brewing since the expansion completion. This unrest has percolated up through the DC Supervisory and Command ranks, none of which Jesse likes. The Officer concerns are legitimate regarding staffing levels, but Jesse’ position is “no money available” from the County for additional officers. I for one don’t know if the Sheriff has expressed the absolute need for more CO’s to Exec Craig, advising that the DC expansion can’t be opened unless more officers are available. Perhaps he has, and Craig just told him to suck it up. But if that were the case then Jesse should not be trying to open parts of the new expansion, thus creating an Officer safety issue. It would appear that Jesse is more concerned about the unrest expressed by the officers than he is their safety. He has sent a strong message to the DC senior officers by DeHavens departure…play ball with me or you could be next.
Presbury hahah yeah that’s who we need.
“In a statement, Bane said DeHaven would not be replaced due to cost considerations.”
That’s odd since we are hearing that the plan is from Greg Carlevero to retire and then be appointed at the jail to allow him to draw his pension and then another salary from the citizens of Harford County. I guess time will tell if the above statement from Bane, pulled right from the article, was one of honesty or not!
Rumors, are just that DD. People like to have somthing to talk a bout. Who would be better to manage the operations / administration of the DC other than a career CO?
Then you are saying Bane is being honest and it won’t be Carlevero as the head of the jail?
I had to just laugh at the comments be made byRetired&Loving It an by Retiredforawhile.Harford County is All About Money. They always seem to have money for things this county don’t need.Like the left over money they had I believe a year ago.They didn’t no what to do with it so let’s give it to the county workers twelve hundred dollars split up in 2 payments.Why couldn’t that money just stay in the bank what was the need to dispense it.Now the county is so concerned over who is or will run HCDC.And where will the money come from.And who is compitent to run the Detention Center.I agree that Position should be filled by a CO that’s been there an knows what is going on.Just because you have worked there for years that you would know what to do.There are CO’s that could fill that position if they had someone in the County Goverment would pay attention as to what goes on there an not just when someone dies inside there or other situations take place.And last let’s look at the New Jail that had to be built since there are so many criminals here that you need more room to house them.And Look at it now as you drive up or down the by-pass an now that the millions of dollars that was spent building it sits empty except for a few offices.Talk about a WASTE of money.Need I say more its sad period the way this county uses money then wonders how they would pay for the things the county needs.