SHASHONNA COLE
Joliet,IL
Summary
Transformational leader with over 27 years of staff management experience in corrections, recognized for developing high-performing teams and implementing institutional improvements. Expertise in navigating complex environments while maintaining a strong focus on security and safety. Proven track record in mentoring future professionals in criminal justice and fostering a culture of integrity and accountability.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Shift Supervisor (Major)
Stateville Correctional Center
Crest Hill, IL
06.2019 - Current
- Built performance-oriented culture with hardworking employees by clearly highlighting employee success and developing leaders from within.
- Evaluated employee skills and knowledge regularly, training, and mentoring individuals with lagging skills.
- Counsel employees regarding work performance, reassign staff to meet day-to-day operating needs; establish quarterly and annual goals and objectives; prepare and sign performance evaluations; approve time off; adjust first level grievances, effectively recommend, and impose discipline, up to and including discharge.
- Supervise and direct security forces in housing and custodial programs on assigned shifts; implement and maintain programs conductive to security and rehabilitative needs of Individuals in custody; conduct security investigations, verify compliance of administrative and institutional directives and policies, prepare various reports essential to daily institutional operations.
- Determine personnel needs of each shift, review and approve Roster Master sheets for shift assignments; conduct rolls, communicate special problems experienced with Individuals in custody, emergency measures which need to be taken, operation or policy concerns and other relevant information experienced during current and previous shifts.
- Participate in clinical, professional, and administrative meetings; attend conferences, discuss, and report problems and issues with immediate supervisors; work with investigatory and law enforcement agencies; act as Duty Warden.
- Conduct routine inspections of the facility to check quality and compliance with established departmental specifications.
- Trained over 200 new employees delegating daily tasks and responsibilities.
- Conduct staff meetings to ensure supervisory skills and departmental goals and objectives are adhered to.
- Prepare and recap daily rosters, maintain overtime equalization, and payroll.
Correctional Lieutenant
Stateville Correctional Center
Crest Hill, IL
10.2012 - 06.2019
- Supervise intra-unit and inter-institutional transfer of Individuals in custody and employees; supervise transfer of Individuals in custody to courts writs and medical furloughs.
- Arbitrate Individual in custody disputes, investigate complaints; conducted special investigations and made recommendations to supervisors for improvement of operations.
- Maintain and enforce disciplinary, safety, sanitary, and custodial measures for control of Individuals in custody.
- Served as Northern Region Transfer Coordinator with responsibility of supervising and training 20(+) staff and transporting 50-200 Individuals in custody to other penal facilities throughout the State of Illinois.
- Inspected housing cells and directed teams completing in-depth searches for contraband or damage.
- Supervised Individual in custody counts and searches.
- Prepared various written communications, reports, and documents to ensure efficient operations.
Correctional Officer
Stateville Correctional Center
Crest Hill, IL
02.1998 - 10.2012
- Observed and supervised Individuals in custody throughout visits, mealtime, recreation, phone calls and showers.
- Monitored single and mass movement of Individuals in custody to work, court, and outside medical furloughs.
- Conducted routine searches and facility counts.
- Completed intake process for Individuals in custody.
- Served as a clerical assistant under the direct supervision of the Shift Commander maintaining shift records and activity journals.
- Served as the Communication/Operator monitoring hundreds of institutional incoming and outgoing telephones calls and radio traffic.
Education
Master of Arts - Public Administration
Capella University
Minneapolis, MN 09-2019
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL12.2015
No Degree - Criminal Justice
Kaplan University
Davenport, IA07.2005
Skills
- Strategic planning
- Conflict resolution
- Situational awareness
- Staff management
- Project management
- Inventory control and record keeping
- Document management
- Staff scheduling
- Operations accountability
- Critical Thinking
- Attention to detail
- Effective communication skills
- Emergency response
- Adaptability in diverse environments
Affiliations
- National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ)
- National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE)
- Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Shift Supervisor (Major)
Stateville Correctional Center
06.2019 - Current
Correctional Lieutenant
Stateville Correctional Center
10.2012 - 06.2019
Correctional Officer
Stateville Correctional Center
02.1998 - 10.2012
Master of Arts - Public Administration
Capella University
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Lewis University
No Degree - Criminal Justice
Kaplan University