HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Fred Bordallo was unanimously confirmed by senators to be the Department of Corrections director.
During session Thursday of the 37th Guam Legislature, the vote on whether to confirm Bordallo as the DOC director resulted in all senators voting to approve his appointment.
In light of the approval from the lawmakers, Bordallo expressed to The Guam Daily Post his appreciation for the Legislature placing its confidence in him.
“I feel really humbled that I got support from every member of the 37th Guam Legislature,” said Bordallo, who also thanked the Office of the Governor and his family for their support of his new role, which began in August.
“The biggest support I got is from my family, my wife, my relatives who have come to support them and I’d like to thank them. Of course the staff and men and women here at the Department of Corrections,” Bordallo added.
However, as Bordallo explained during his confirmation hearing in September, DOC remains in a “dangerous situation” and he is expecting challenges.
In particular, Bordallo discussed the overcrowding in the prison, which held 876 inmates as of Friday, without an ideal number of officers to appropriately accommodate the population.
However, since taking office, Bordallo has worked to increase the number of officers by starting a reserve program and reemploying officers. He also said an ongoing recruit cycle is expected to be completed by January 2024.
“We’ll probably get in the area of 220 (officers),” Bordallo explained.
Additionally, Bordallo said he continues to worry about the aging infrastructure of the prison, which sustained damage from Typhoon Mawar.
Bordallo said overcrowding isn’t the only issue facing DOC. We have challenges with the air conditioners, and the temperatures are hot,” said Bordallo, who has looked into purchasing portable air conditioners to reduce the heat.
Despite all the challenges, the confirmation of Bordallo gives him the confidence to overcome them.
“Although I mentioned these challenges about overcrowding, the infrastructure, things can get better here at the Department of Corrections and I have confidence,” Bordallo said.
Fred Bordallo testifies before the Legislature in support of his appointment as director of the Department of Corrections on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, at the Legislature’s Public Hearing Room in Hagåtña.
