Third Shift Manning Of Waupun Correctional Towers Could Be Cut

Like Dodge Correctional and the John Burke Center, Waupun Correctional may have to start leaving their guard towers empty overnight.  State Representative Michael Schraa updated the Waupun Common Council on the issue this week. Schraa authored legislation two years ago that preserved third shift manning of the guard towers at Waupun Correctional, but that legislation sunsets in January. Schraa says the only way the overnight manning of towers could be eliminated is by having new safeguards and technology in place and that isn’t the case yet. Waupun Mayor Julie Nickel expressed concern that city officials found out about the changes through social media. Schraa says they have to be careful about releasing too much information about the towers, which could get back to inmates. The federal lawmaker from Oshkosh will chair the Assembly’s Corrections Committee in the upcoming session. He says no escape attempts have been reported since other state prisons lost overnight staffing of guard towers.