St. Louis Division of Corrections

Hayward’s first day as the commissioner of corrections at the St. Louis City Justice Center was Sept. 16. The New Jersey native spent over 32 years at the county jail and says he has an open door policy for activists.

The former jail oversight board leader is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Mensah says they were beaten unconscious by police while visiting the jail in 2023.

Looking back, Burris says he wishes he had formed partnerships sooner and expressed pride in serving his staff amid challenging conditions at the jail.

Outgoing Commissioner Doug Burris speaks highly of Ross despite controversy and leaves a staff of nearly 100 correctional officers at the troubled St. Louis Justice Center, where 20 detainees have died in custody since 2020.

Upon leaving custody, ServSafe-certified participants are qualified to apply for jobs at restaurants, grocery stores and other food service companies.

The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment relaunched its program to help city jail detainees prepare to make careers in growing industries once released.

The 35-year-old was left in his own feces for days, his attorney said.

Mayor Tishaura Jones first appointed members of the Detention Facilities Oversight Board in 2022, but legal battles and a failure to complete required training meant the board could not access the downtown jail until now.

A new law on oversight took effect in 2022 but immediately faced legal challenges. The work has also been delayed by disputes over access to complaints and to the City Justice Center, St. Louis’ jail.

Two inmates with a history of disciplinary problems took the guard, a man in his 70s, hostage during breakfast service around 6 a.m. A police SWAT team had to use less-than-lethal force to rescue him.