PORTLAND, Ore. — Mike Reese, the director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, joined KGW's Straight Talk with Laural Porter this week to discuss his new role as the head of the state's prisons, the challenges he faces and his main priorities. A former chief for the Portland Police Bureau and sheriff for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Reese was appointed to his new role last fall by Oregon Gov.
Tina Kotek . He now oversees 12 correctional institutions, 12,000 adults in custody, and more than 4,400 employees. He's in charge of the fourth largest agency in the state that carries a budget of $2.
3 billion. Reese takes over at a time when the department faces many challenges, including a staffing shortage, how to stop the flow of smuggled drugs into the prisons, and addressing problems cited in a state report at Oregon's only women's prison, Coffee Creek Correctional Center in Wilsonville. He joined Straight Talk this week to discuss how he plans to meet those challenges and about his goals as the head of Oregon's prison system.
Reese said he's focused on three things: employee wellness, reducing recidivism and addressing the prison systems' aging infrastructure and technology. "First and foremost is our employee wellness," Reese said. "Making sure that our employees feel like they're supported and they have the tools and resources to be successful in their work with our adults in custody.
" He said the department must fill vacancies and provide more training for staf.
