22 July, 2017
Authorities said Sgt. Monica and Sgt. Curtis Billue were shot and killed by two inmates during a prison transport last Tuesday.
During the press conference it was revealed that officers Monica and Billue were not wearing protective vests or their guns.
Their weapons were left in storage boxes during the trip, not on their persons, as required.
Dozier said three changes were made immediate following the escape: a trail vehicle was added for every prison transport by June 20; all transportation officers underwent refresher training between June 20 and June 28; and a duty officer was assigned at all facilities to ensure compliance with transport procedures.
Dozier said an initial search of Baldwin State Prison inmates being transported that day did not find a pen and toothbrush Rowe had on board that was later seen in video.
Billue and Monica removed their weapons from the compartment and left the inmates alone on the bus after arriving at Hancock State Prison at 5:43 a.m. This may not have impacted whether the murders took place, but it certainly allowed several inmates on the bus to move around freely and have their handcuffs unlocked by inmates Dubose and Rowe.
The GBI determined the lock was functioning, but had not been secured that morning.
When the two inmates appeared in court after their capture, the judge denied bond, and a prosecutor said in court that Dubose and Rowe face what he called "clearly a death penalty case".
The bus was bound for the Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Jackson.
Inmates will, as was the policy, be strip-searched before entering a bus.
He and Dubose breached the gate at 6:39 a.m. and killed the officers with their own weapons.
The Putnam County inmates used a toothbrush to unlock an unsecured padlock on the prison bus, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Those breaches were, failure to search inmates prior to boarding bus, failure to double-lock handcuffs, failure to continuously supervise inmates on bus, failure to lock the door separating driver compartment from inmate compartment, and failure to wear assigned duty equipment.
Failing to secure the gate was the "single greatest point of failure", according to the report.
Those suggestions will be discussed and implemented where possible.
The security chief of the prison is now in charge of the inmate bus, instead of one of the corrections guards. "They went through the officers personal belongings eating some of their food and also drinking their drinks".
Video cameras also will be upgraded to cover all angles of the bus.
PREVIOUS | What really happened on the Dept. of Corrections bus? . The fourth breach came in the padlock on the security gate not being properly secured. He also says transport officers will get annual refresher training, and the department will do an annual audit focusing exclusively on inmate transport.
Dozier did not take questions at the conclusion of the briefing, but vowed to ensure the safety of the department's 125 transport officers.
