NorCo's Attempt to Bully David Collins

CPT Collins in his civies. 

On Friday, I told you that CPT David Collins, who supervises 10 lieutenants and is the Prison Rape Elimination Act Compliance Officer, has been suspended. He was walked out of the jail on July 13. For obvious reasons, he's declined to speak with me. He's got enough problems. But based on what I know about him myself, along with what I've heard from others who are familiar with his situation, I can offer a glimpse into what has happened. From where I sit, it appears that the Corrections Director Dan Keen and HR Director Amy Trapp are attempting to bully a man with integrity. They are both going to fall flat on their faces.

Who is David Collins? 

Let me first tell you a little bit about Collins. I got to know him years ago, and respect him as a straight shooter. "I wear the white shirt with double bars," he told me several years ago, when the County made the mistake of going after another jail employee. He was there to testify, but warned the County he would tell the truth if called to testify. They never called him.

He says what means and means what he says.

He's an Easton boy. He graduated from Easton High School, where he played basketball. Though he's a big man who looks like an NFL offensive lineman, he wanted to study and teach the fine arts to children and enrolled at Kutztown University. Life got in the way. His college dreams took a back seat to raising a family, and one of which he's very proud. He has four daughters, one of whom is still in school. He also is a grandfather and worships at Shiloh Baptist Church.

The man who wanted to teach fine maintained his interest in local youth. He was a program director at St. Anthony's Youth Center. He managed some programs at the Easton Area School District while working at jobs to support his family.

President Judge Robert Freedberg saw something he liked in well-spoken Collins, and recommended him for a job with Northampton County at the Juvenile Justice Center. He started working for the County in 2002  In 2009, he transferred to the jail. By 2011, he was a Lieutenant. Just two years later, in 2013, he was promoted to Captain.

He is the jail's first African American captain at a jail that has only one captain. He said his ethnicity makes his job "twice as hard." If he advocates against discrimination, he is accused of being a troublemaker or playing the race card. But if he refuses to back up someone with a bogus complaint, he's called a token.

He walks a fine line. For a big man, he does it well.

In his 15 years with the county, he has never been disciplined for any infraction.  His evaluations have all been off the charts.

And sometimes, at night, he'll teach inmates how to draw.

Collins is a Whistleblower

Collins is actually on paid administrative leave No one has accused him of smuggling in contraband or getting rough with inmates. His suspension relates to what Amy Trapp has called "unfounded allegations" concerning the Department of Corrections. These are complaints that Collins first made to Deputy Warden James Kostura. Most of them focus on Dan Keen's leadership. Though Kostura informed Collins that Keen would meet with him, nothing happened. So Collins went to the HR Director, Amy Trapp.

In 1986, Pennsylvania enacted its own version of the Whistleblower Law. This protects county employees from retaliation for reporting, in good faith, instances of wrongdoing or waste. That appears to be precisely what Collins was doing. Whether he is right or wring is irrelevant. The only question is whether he has acted in good faith. Moreover, Collins kept his complaints in house.

Sanctioning Collins for reporting in good faith about things he thinks are wrong violate the Whistleblower Law. This also violates is First Amendment rights, which he still has no matter what uniform he is wearing.

Collins Allegations are Fact Based

It appears that many of the allegations made by Collins have a factual basis.

- He was assigned to investigate an assault of a female inmate, which ultimately resulted in the suspension (with pay) of a female corrections officer. The materials he obtained and supplied were never turned over to the DA for the prosecution of an inmate who ultimately entered a guilty pleas. Keen also never turned these records over to HR Director Amy Trapp, which probably explains why the corrections officer was suspended with pay and was paid by the county for several months to do nothing. In her time off, the female corrections officer was able to become a tattoo artist.

- Corrections officers are taught a variety of measures to subdue unruly inmates. One of these is called the brachial stun, in which someone uses the spine of his hand to hit another person on the side of the neck from behind. This is meant to stun the victim, bu it can also kill him.One of Collins's complaints, I'm told, is that Keen was using this technique on one of his lieutenants. He snuck up behind him several times to administer this blow, and then laughed. It might be funny to Keen, but not to the Lieutenant being victimized.

- In a meeting this Winter concerning some program, Amy Trapp disparaged a lieutenant who complained about the program, calling him a "pussy." This is unprofessional behavior. (I know for a fact that Trapp has been insulting like this to other county employees).

- Keen is absent for extended periods because he teaches corrections at Penn State. (I question whether he is being paid on the county dime and by PSU). From 6/12-6/15, Keen was teaching a class there He wanted to teach lieutenants and took five of the jail's 10 lieutenants with him. This left Collins with five lieutenants to run the jail. One of them was on restricted duty. (Keen had previously told me that he would be doing all future teaching at the jail). He carted five county employees halfway across the state and put them up at The Radison, at county expense, while he stayed at the more expensive PennStater. He did this knowing that the Controller and I have both raised questions about unnecessary travel.

There are numerous other complaints that Collins may have made, according to staffers. Some may very well be unfounded. All are being made in good faith. Instead of suspending Collins, Keen should have just met with him like an adult. I see no reason why this had to happen.

What Trapp and Keen are doing is trying to scare Collins into submission. They want him to shut up while Keen pushes for a new jail that will double your tax bill and Trapp buys more popcorn machines. The last thing they need is someone talking about waste and wrongdoing.

But if I know Collins, he will stand up to them. He's been suspended for doing his job. He doesn't roll the way they want.