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Paducah Police Not Told of Escape

Posted on: Saturday, 28 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By Bill Bartleman, The Paducah Sun, Ky.

Jan. 28--Chief Randy Bratton is concerned that the Paducah Police Department isn't being notified of escapes by state prisoners from a privately run halfway house that houses about 100 convicted felons.

Bratton said the situation is a danger to public safety and to police officers who might unknowingly come into contact with a fugitive while on patrol.

Bratton found out Friday that Michael Kauffman, 30, had been missing since Oct. 29 from the Paducah Community Service Center, 621 S. 7th St. Bratton learned about it because Kauffman was arrested in Ulster County, N.Y., on charges of robbing a bank, breaking into a house, holding three people hostage and staging a six-hour armed standoff with police.

Keeton Corrections Inc., the private operator of the halfway house, refused to comment or provide any information Friday, and a Kentucky corrections official said details of the state prisoner's confinement couldn't be shared because the halfway house is operated under contract with the state.

What Bratton found most disturbing is that on Oct. 18 -- 11 days before Kauffman left -- state Department of Corrections officials assured him that Paducah police would be notified of future escapes.

The promise came after two escapes earlier in October that were not reported to city police in a timely manner. He termed those failures a "communication problem" that he thought had been corrected.

In one of the cases, the halfway house delayed notifying police because its own workers were out searching for the missing inmate, he said.

"No matter what, we should have been notified within five minutes," Bratton said. "We can work in partnership to help track them down. We have a large amount of resources that can help track them down if we are informed in a timely manner."

Bratton said state policy is to notify the Kentucky State Police so that information on the missing inmate can be entered into the national crime network.

While that is important, Bratton said, local police also must be notified to help track down escapees.

McCracken County Chief Deputy Sheriff Terry Long said he had no record of the sheriff's office being notified of Kauffman's escape. The sheriff's office is some three blocks from the halfway house.

There also was no record of the escape being reported to the public through the news media, a corrections spokeswoman said.

Kauffman was serving a six-year sentence on a Nelson County conviction of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a handgun.

On Friday, Keeton officials at the Paducah halfway house declined comment on the escape and referred questions to state corrections officials in Frankfort.

"The only information I have is that he was at the halfway house, and was missing when they took the evening count (on Oct. 29)," said Cheryl Million, a corrections spokeswoman in Frankfort.

Security at the halfway house is limited. Most inmates work in community service or other jobs during the day and stay at the center at night. They are not considered escape risks.

The state currently has 95 convicted felons at the center, Million said, and some federal prisoners are also present.

Million said that since the halfway house is operated under contract by a private firm, she wasn't at liberty to discuss details of Kauffman's confinement there.

Million said state records indicate Kauffman had served 15 months of his six-year sentence. He wasn't scheduled for a parole hearing until February 2007 and his release date was Dec. 4, 2008.

Meanwhile, police in Town of Lloyd, N.Y., said Kauffman's crime spree and standoff with police on Thursday created a tense and dangerous situation.

David Ackert, Town of Lloyd police chief, released the following details surrounding Kauffman:

At 12:07 p.m., police were notified of a bank robbery at the Key Bank and that the robber left in a maroon sport-utility vehicle.

At 12:58 p.m., police received a call that a strong-arm robbery was in progress at a private residence. When officers arrived, they were met by a man and his 3-year-old son who had escaped from the residence. Police were told a man with a gun was inside.

Police went into the house and were confronted by a man -- later identified as Kauffman -- who was holding a gun to the head of a 76-year-old hostage.

Police negotiated with Kauffman throughout the afternoon and early evening. Shortly before 7 p.m., the hostage was released. Kauffman surrendered at 7:38 p.m.

Police recovered money taken in the bank robbery and a gun used in the robbery and standoff.

Kauffman was charged with being a fugitive from justice and burglary. Additional charges are expected to be filed before he makes another court appearance next week.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Paducah Sun, Ky.

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Source: The Paducah Sun

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