46.058 Bonds of employees; police powers; investigation of complaints.

(1) The steward of each institution under the control of the department shall execute and file an official bond in such sum and with such sureties as the secretary prescribes. The steward shall also require any other officer or other person having the possession or custody of any money or property belonging to the state or any institution under its control or supervision to give an official bond, and from time to time renew the bond. The secretary may require a position bond whenever it appears advisable to him or her. The position bond shall have the same coverage as the official bond.

(2) The superintendents of all institutions administered by the department and of all county hospitals and county homes, and the employees under them to whom they delegate police power, may arrest any person within or upon the grounds of such institutions whom they have reason to believe is guilty of any offense against the laws or regulations governing the institutions; and for that purpose they shall possess the powers of constables.

(2m) The superintendents of the secure mental health facility established under s. 46.055, the Wisconsin resource center established under s. 46.056 and any secure mental health unit or facility provided by the department of corrections under s. 980.065 (2) shall adopt proper means to prevent escapes of persons detained or committed to the facility, center or unit under ch. 980 and may adopt proper means to pursue and capture persons detained or committed to the facility, center or unit under ch. 980 who have escaped. In adopting means under this subsection to prevent escape and pursue and capture persons who have escaped, a superintendent may delegate to designated staff members of the facility, center or unit the power to use necessary and appropriate force, as defined by the department by rule, to prevent escapes and capture escaped persons.

(3) The department shall investigate complaints against any institution under its jurisdiction or against the officers or employees thereof. For that purpose the secretary and such officers and employees as the secretary authorizes may summon and swear witnesses, take testimony and compel the production of books and papers. The department may, on its own initiative, investigate the affairs of any institution. Any written communication or complaint addressed to the secretary by any inmate, employee or subordinate of any such institution shall be forthwith forwarded unopened to the addressee.

History: 1975 c. 39; 1975 c. 199 s. 138; 1979 c. 221 s. 352; Stats. 1979 s. 46.058; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 209; 1999 a. 9.