The MDOC’s Public Information Office is committed to providing timely and accurate information about the department to the media.
Jenni Riehle, Public Information Officer
Monday–Thursday, 8:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M.
Phone: 517-241-0363
Email: Riehlej2@Michigan.gov
Woodland Correctional Facility Waterline Break
The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is responding to an underground waterline break at Woodland Correctional Facility (WCC) in Whitmore Lake.
Qualified maintenance personnel and contractors were promptly contacted and dispatched to the facility to assess the situation and begin the necessary repairs.
While the initial repair work was being completed, a secondary break occurred within the underground water system, requiring additional repair efforts.
The situation has received the utmost attention from MDOC leadership, who continue to coordinate closely with facility administration, maintenance personnel, and contractors to ensure the necessary repairs are completed as safely and efficiently as possible.
The affected underground waterline also provides water service to the MDOC Green Oaks Training Academy. MDOC has implemented necessary measures at both locations to ensure a safe working environment for staff at Woodland Correctional Facility and a safe and appropriate training environment for employees attending programs at the Green Oaks Training Academy.
Contractors remain on site and continue to work on repairs. Maintenance personnel will closely monitor the water system throughout the repair process and following completion of the repairs to ensure the system is fully operational and functioning as intended.
The safety and security of MDOC staff, individuals in custody, and employees participating in training remain the Department's highest priorities. MDOC will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.
North Lake Correctional Facility
The North Lake Correctional Facility located in Baldwin, Michigan is owned and operated by the GEO Group, a privately-owned company. The federal Department of Homeland Security has contracted with this facility. The facility has never been owned or operated by the State of Michigan, or the Michigan Department of Corrections, and the State of Michigan has no authority over its operations.
MDOC has a formal process for those seeking to conduct research involving its facilities, staff, and individuals under its supervision.
In the 100+ years state corrections records have been kept, there have been 14 staff members killed in the line of duty. These are their stories.
