Monroe officer killing perspective

Monroe Corrections Center

About once a month, I visit John, an inmate at the Monroe Corrections Center, at the Twin Rivers site.  We've been meeting since 2009.  I started sharing with him while he was at the Regional Justice Center.  While at Twin Rivers, he went through the sexual offenders treatment program.  I met with his counselor a couple of times, at John's request, as part of the program.

I just learned about the attack and death of an officer at one of the Monroe facility chapels. These events escalate the multiple concerns at all corrections facilities--city, county, state, and federal.  Our presence as chaplains is vital in these times.

In context, officers are commonly left alone during certain assignments due to budget constraints. Yes, it is a huge safety issue. Yes, it is a state budget and political issue as this is another area where funds were slashed.  One of the choices will be to discontinue chapel services.  There will be other choices to consider, as well. 

Virtually all of the units at the King County Regional Justice Center, where I serve primarily, are staffed with one officer.  Recently, another inmate attacked an officer in a unit at the RJC.  Yes, same issues. 

I have presented sermons at three Monroe chapels.  John attends chapel services regularly on Saturday nights.  There are five different centers for inmates at Monroe.

As a note to the portion of the article below, the chapel is inside the fenced facility.  It does not state which chapel where this event unfolded. The officer would not "lead" any religious  service as part of her duties.  As reported, she was serving as the lone officer or guard when she was attacked on Saturday night.

Here is part of the online KOMO account:


MONROE, Wash. -- An inmate is suspected in the death of a Washington state corrections officer who was found strangled with a microphone cord in the prison chapel, where she led religious programs, authorities say.

Jayme Biendl, 34, who had raised concerns about being the sole guard in the chapel, was found dead Saturday night at Monroe Correctional Complex northeast of Seattle, Department of Corrections spokesman Chad Lewis said.

He said it was the first time a guard has been killed at the 100-year-old facility. Corrections officers and supporters gathered Sunday night at the entrance to the prison for a candlelight vigil in Biendl's memory.

"A very kind person. Hard working, dedicated to her job, her family, her horses," said Sgt. Jim Fletcher, who served as Biendl's supervisor for two years at the prison. "It's not going to be easy not having her around. You wish you could have been there to help out."

Byron Scherf, a 52-year-old inmate, was reported missing during a routine count at 9:14 p.m. Saturday. He was found three minutes later in the chapel lobby and told officers he had planned to escape.

"He is our primary suspect," Monroe police spokeswoman Debbie Willis said. Scherf is serving a life sentence without parole after being convicted of first-degree rape and kidnapping in 1997 under the state's "three-strikes" law, Lewis said.

Prison officials said Scherf had been serving as a volunteer worker in the chapel. Lewis said Biendl was alone at the chapel Saturday night and was not carrying a weapon, as is typical for many corrections officers.