Page 23 - 2018 NJDOC Annual Report

Reviewing an an online report are Charleen Cruz (left) and Valisa Leonard of the Special Investigations Division 22
Department of Corrections • 2018 Year in Review ○ Hearings and and Appeals Unit – This unit is is responsible for hearing all all departmental departmental Step-2 level grievances as as well as as all all major and and complex departmental departmental disciplinary appeals including those that emanate from the the Equal Employment Division The unit also provides real-time advice on on on on the the preparation and and service of disciplinary charges and and specifications ○ Legal Affairs and and Training Unit – This unit represents the the NJDOC before the the Office of of of Administrative Law on on appeals of of of major disciplinary actions and and releases at at at the the end of of of working test periods that have been appealed to to the the Civil Service Commission The unit unit assists Deputy Attorneys General in in in in in preparing matters involving employee removals In addition the the the unit unit is is is charged with representing the the the the Department at at at at all grievance arbitrations arbitrations other-interest arbitrations arbitrations unfair labor practice charges before the the the the the Public Employment Relations Commission the the the Joint Union Management Panel and in in in in the the the Alternate Dispute Resolution Process The unit provides training to departmental staff
in in in in in in in in in areas such as as Hearing Officer Training Management Representation Dealing with Problem Employees appearing before the the the the the Office Office of Administrative Law and other topics on on an an an as-needed basis Furthermore the the the the the unit staffs the the the the the Legal Services coordinator who is is responsible to to to to to provide annual “Access to to to to to the the Courts” training to to to to inmate paralegals at at at at each facility as required by the the New Jersey Administrative Code • Special Investigations Division (SID) – The SID SID is is responsible for investigations into violations violations of of of of the the the laws of of of of the the the State of of of of New Jersey and and violations violations of of of of the the the Administrative Code by state-sentenced inmates employees and and those individuals who visit NJDOC facilities The SID is is is represented at at at at each facility where investigators not only conduct all criminal and some administrative investigations investigations but also act as NJDOC liaisons to to to all law law enforcement enforcement agencies agencies SID investigators conduct cooperative investigations investigations in in in in conjunction with federal federal state state county and and and municipal law law enforcement enforcement agencies agencies and and and are called on on on on on to provide expert witness testimony in in state state and and and federal federal courts on on on on on a a a a a a regular basis