The new inmate management system, combined with the physical plant upgrades, will render SOCF a true maximum security facility.
The disturbance at SOCF provided a wake-up call for all DRC employees.
While the department had sound emergency plans and excellent training and special teams, the SOCF disturbance forced the DRC to expand training.
The SOCF disturbance taught DRC officials that the department must standardize its equipment and training, and toughen standards for individual members to meet the challenges posed by prison disturbances.
Throughout the ordeal, SOCF's corridors were filled with people from many agencies who worked together to end the disturbance.
"My experience at SOCF was the most intense event in my 33 years with the patrol," said OSP Colonel Tom Rice, now retired.
The massive task of transporting hundreds of maximum security inmates out of SOCF to prisons across the state operated like clockwork.
As part of the surrender agreement that ended the riot, the department agreed to review and attempt to improve unit management practices at SOCF. Investigations found that the unit management at SOCF was not operating at an optimal level.
The dysfunctional state of unit management at SOCF should serve as a warning to all agencies to carefully examine existing management strategies to ensure they are operating as intended.