Former Swanson Employee Forced to Retire

Detrick Massey dedicated 24 years of her life to the state of Louisiana, working for the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ) at the Swanson Youth Facility in Monroe. Massey would still be working as a Shift Manager/Juvenile Justice Specialist 5 (supervisor) if she had not been forced to retire in May 2024. In May 2022, during a riot at the facility involving two dormitories, Massey severely injured both of her knees, which ultimately required surgery in December 2022. A total knee replacement was performed on her right knee. According to Massey, she was assigned to the front gate at Swanson from November 2022 to December 2022 while awaiting surgery. This was considered a light-duty assignment and was approved by the OJJ Director at that time. Massey underwent months of intensive physical therapy and was released from her doctor’s care on March 8, 2024. Her doctor placed her on light duty and sent a return-to-work form to Swanson. However, Massey was allegedly informed by the appointing authority for OJJ and the Youth Facilities Director-statewide that there "is no" light-duty assignment available. Massey would later learn that she had been separated from her position, effective March 21, 2024.

According to Massey, she was notified of her separation by email and allegedly did not receive a meeting or any explanation after being dismissed from the agency after 24 years of service. Massey discovered that the official had allegedly hired workers from the Department of Corrections, who were still employed at Angola, to replace seasoned OJJ employees on medical leave. Massey contends that all employees on medical leave were terminated and that she was the last of the eight employees to be informed that they no longer worked for OJJ. None of them were allowed to continue their careers as Juvenile Justice Specialists, or, in Massey’s case, as a Shift Manager/Juvenile Justice Specialist 5 (supervisor).

Massey shared that she endured sleepless nights, feeling upset and depressed over the separation. She emphasized that she had been doing her job on the night of the riot, trying to separate two youths from fighting and prevent them from getting involved in the ongoing campus riot. “I was injured in the line of duty while protecting the youth and fellow staff that night,” said Massey. She expressed feeling betrayed by the official who forced her into involuntary retirement. Although she hasn’t spoken with the other dismissed employees, Massey believes they all share the same sentiment regarding the official who allegedly ended their careers. “All of us were treated unfairly and discriminated against because of our medical issues. We all sustained injuries in the line of duty while working to protect the youth and staff,” Massey reiterated.

Massey noted an observation that another official, the Director of Recruitment for OJJ, was allegedly injured at a facility in Bunkie in 2022. This official was reportedly reassigned to the Central Office in Baton Rouge and placed on light duty. The female official, also a Juvenile Justice Specialist 5 like Massey, had previously served as a Shift Commander/Captain and was also injured during a riot. According to Massey, this official allegedly obtained another light-duty position created for her as the Director of Recruitment. Learning of this development made Massey feel even more resentful and upset about the course of events, especially given her own medical issues and forced retirement.

Massey concluded by saying, “I want my job back and another chance to ensure that the youth under OJJ’s care get the help they need. OJJ, DOC, and the alleged official were so unfair with the staff that I can only imagine how they are treating the youth whom they have sworn to rehabilitate.”

Photo: Swanson