The following statement is in response to a recent story by KFOR concerning Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy, Okla.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections consists of 23 small “cities.” And it faces the same issues as its non-correctional counterparts. Water lines leak, equipment breaks, weather hits unexpectedly, causing outages – the list goes on and on. But when these problems occur, the dedicated staff jumps into action, restoring services as quickly as possible.
ODOC facilities receive water from the community in which they are located. There are times when water services are shut off to the facility due to issues with the water supplier. Recently, the city of Hominy issued a conservation request due to weather. We abided by the request to be good community partners. As the water levels fell in the tower, we issued bottled water and filled the mobile water tanks to provide water to inmates and staff.
The agency also continuously works to improve its aging infrastructure. Since receiving the bond in 2018, ODOC has completed more than 125 improvement projects totaling $116.5 million. Over the last 10 years, 52 emergency repairs have occurred, costing the agency $2.1 million.
By prioritizing maintenance and investing in improvements, ODOC successfully avoided emergency repairs in 2023 while showcasing its readiness to address unforeseen incidents through proactive measures and strong community relationships.