Dahles' statement on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announcing the shutdown of the California Correctional Center (CCC) in Susanville. The prison is comprised of four facilities and serves as a hub for incarcerated firefighters who are trained for placement into one of 14 Fire Camps in California. Those fire camps will now be part of the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown. Approximately 2,064 incarcerated inmates are housed at CCC. There are currently 1,080 staff employed at the institution.
Statement by Assemblywoman Megan Dahle and Senator Brian Dahle
“As the two elected state representatives for Lassen County, we were shocked and appalled by CDCR’s announcement to close CCC.
We received no prior notice regarding the decision by CDCR. The lack of transparency and opportunity for public input in making such a significant decision is abhorrent. This decision completely undermines the little trust our constituents had left in this administration and proves yet again that the leaders of our state agencies couldn’t care less about the livelihood of residents of the North State.
The impact of this decision on our North State communities will be devastating. Our communities have already suffered a dramatic increase in unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Now, without warning or notice to the public, the state has arbitrarily dictated that it will be upending the livelihood of over 1,000 employees and their families. Constituents of the North State deserve better from their government. The fact employees were notified of the closure through a press release is unacceptable.
This gross misstep by a state agency is a slap in the face to hardworking employees, and correctional officers and their families, who have served on the frontlines during this pandemic and sacrificed a great deal to ensure our communities remain safe.
The unilateral actions taken by CDCR and the Newsom administration represent a complete degradation of our representative government. We demand CDCR, Secretary Kathleen Allison and the Newsom administration reveal the process and data used to arrive at the decision to close CCC. At the very least, they owe this to the public and their employees.
To ensure the leaders of the state agency that perpetrated this action are held accountable, we are pursuing Public Records Act Requests to expose the secretive channels through which they came to this decision.
To the employees, families, and community impacted by the announced closure; you have our word that we will not rest until we bring to light why and how the governor’s administration arrived at this decision. Please reach out to our offices for any immediate assistance you may need.”