York County ends relationship with C-SAU, its controversial prison training contractor
The County of York has ended its relationship with C-SAU, a controversial contractor to whom the commissioners had awarded two contracts worth more than $375,000.
The commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to approve an agreement "to resolve any outstanding contractual obligations" between the county and C-SAU, a “corrections special operations” organization based in Greenville, South Carolina. The acronym stands for Corrections Special Applications Unit.
In interviews after the meeting and through a news release, the commissioners said they had always intended for its prison staff to be trained to handle critical response services on its own. That was accomplished with C-SAU and its “Senior Team Leader” Joseph Garcia.
A Special Operations Response Team, which consists of county employees, will take over the responsibilities. An existing employee will oversee it, said Greg Monskie, chief clerk.
"I think the program of de-escalation and communication when incidents happen in prison is extremely beneficial, said Doug Hoke, vice president commissioner and president of the prison board. "It's a safety precaution for inmates and employees. We have found over the years that we've been doing this that it has saved money on workman's comp claims and things like that. So I think the program is well-served and will serve the community well in the future."
President Commissioner Julie Wheeler and Commissioner Ron Smith offered similar remarks.
"... it didn't make any sense to continue to expend county taxpayer dollars when we've got the training and capabilities in house," Wheeler said.
In his opinion, Smith said, it is a good program, and "our people are going to take it over and move forward with it."
Smith said as far as he's aware, the contract was paid up front.
No one from the public commented on the action taken Wednesday.
Garcia could not be reached for comment.
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Related:York County commissioners approve minor changes to 2-year, $252,770 contract with C-SAU
The county awarded a $122,850 contract to C-SAU in November 2020 to provide equipment such as Kel-Tec KSG, tactical pump-action shotguns and training for up to 18 corrections officers at York County Prison.
In the fall of 2021, the commissioners approved a modified two-year, $252,770 contract extension to train corrections officers. The public raised concerns after the initial vote was taken.
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"We, the York NAACP, need the York County commissioners to understand that we do not approve of a county contract that uses the dollars of taxpayers, that include Black and brown people, to fund a company like C-SAU under the leadership of Joseph Garcia," Sandra Thompson, an attorney and second vice president of the organization, said at the time, "who has shown by his comments and by prior behaviors that he has no empathy for the rights of others or an understanding for proper policing."
Some also mentioned comments Garcia has made in the past, including one on “Talking Lead Podcast” that he supported “Dogs Lives Matter.”
In December 2021, more than 45 current and former prisoners at York County Prison filed the class action lawsuit on in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg over the use of its controversial contactor. They alleged that its policies and training have created “a toxic culture where excessive and unjustified terror and violence is perpetrated with impunity.”
In that case, Garcia and C-SAU failed to file an answer or plead in the case, resulting in the court issuing an order of default in November, court records show.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York County ends relationship with C-SAU, a controversial prison trainer
