Arkansas legislative leaders pressed state corrections officials Tuesday to acknowledge that a May prison escape stemmed from systemic failures, not just the actions of two employees.
Division of Correction Director Dexter Payne said the escape of convicted murderer and rapist Grant Hardin would not have occurred if a kitchen supervisor and a tower guard had followed policy. The employees were fired after Hardin’s recapture on June 2. Four other employees have been suspended and one demoted.
Legislators focused on policy confusion, including unclear rules about inmate access to a kitchen loading dock and delays in notifying law enforcement.
Corrections Secretary Lindsay Wallace said the department is reviewing policy changes and training to prevent future problems. An internal report also found Hardin had been misclassified as a medium-security inmate, though he should have been high-security.
Sen. Matt McKee, a Pearcy Republican, said the escape highlighted broader systemic issues. “This isn’t just about two employees. This is a failure systemically because we didn’t have the training, we didn’t have the policies worked out,” he said.
Hardin has been housed at the Varner Unit since his recapture.
For the original reporting from Arkansas Advocate, click here.
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