Week in Review: September 5, 2025

September 5, 2025

In this September 5 Week in Review, we spotlight a Battle of the Badges boxer, how an institution is bridging the gap, and follow correctional leaders as they tour San Quentin.

In the Community

CHCF sergeant prepares for Battle of the Badges

Correctional Sgt. Heriberto Ortiz-Zamora at the California Health Care Facility (CHCF) is gearing up for the biggest fight of his career.

This Saturday, Sgt. Ortiz-Zamora will step into the boxing ring against the undefeated Ismael Alvarez of the Fresno Police Department at the NorCal Battle of the Badges.

As he prepares for his match, his CHCF family is cheering him on. Ortiz-Zamora has dedicated long hours in the gym, focused and determined to proudly represent CDCR.

With support from acting Warden Dao Vang and staff across the institution, Ortiz-Zamora knows he’s not stepping into the ring alone.

The Battle of the Badges has been bringing first responders together for more than 72 years. Events like these are building camaraderie, uniting communities, and raising money for charity.

From left Acting Warden Dao Vang, CHCF CCPOA Chapter President Andreas Zapata, Correctional Sergeant Heriberto Ortiz-Zamora
and Acting Chief Deputy Warden Michael Brown.

From left to right, CHCF CCPOA Chapter President Andreas Zapata and Correctional Sergeant Heriberto Ortiz-Zamora.

Upward Mobility

Jason Schultz, appointed Warden at California State Prison, Sacramento

Bryan Bishop, appointed Director of Division of Adult Parole Operations

Rosalind Sargent-Burns, appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

Jack Weiss, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

William Muniz, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

Teal Kozel, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

Mary Thornton, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

Patricia Cassady, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

Michael Ruff, reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings

In Our Institutions

CHCF expands Bridging the Gap

CHCF Bridging the Gap program participants

It’s been a year since Division of Adult Institutions Director Gena Jones, along with incarcerated person Jovian Davis, first emphasized what is now known at California Health Care Facility (CHCF) as the Bridging the Gap meeting. The growth of this vision has been remarkable, according to those involved.

Correctional staff from multiple institutions came together for a joint Bridging the Gap meeting. Other institutions included Mule Creek State Prison, California State Prison-Sacramento, and the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center. During their CHCF visit, staff members participated in the program firsthand, engaging directly in dialogue and exchange.

At CHCF, Bridging the Gap has been incorporated into its job-shadowing program. During each meeting, incarcerated individuals share their life experiences and perspectives as part of meaningful conversations with newly assigned correctional officers. Through open dialogue and purposeful communication, the program provides valuable insight, builds understanding, and strengthens working relationships between staff and the incarcerated population.

The program’s approach builds mutual respect, normalization, and trust for everyone who lives and works inside prison walls. While enhancing institutional safety and staff well-being, the program also prepares incarcerated individuals for reintegration into society—directly contributing to public safety across California.

CMF hosts International Overdose Awareness Day

Statewide, institutions continue to join the global community in taking action against preventable overdoses in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31).

California Medical Facility (CMF) hosted an event focused on education, prevention, and healing.

The affair brought together nonprofit partners such as Urban Alchemy, which provides housing and employment resources to support successful community reintegration, and the CROP organization, creating restorative opportunities and reentry programs. Alongside these groups, the CMF Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) team played a central role in sharing critical knowledge and tools to help combat the overdose crisis within our prison system.

The event featured engaging booths and activities, including demonstrations on how to properly use Narcan, education on recognizing the signs and symptoms of an overdose, and an interactive memory poster where participants honored loved ones lost to overdose. Staff and the incarcerated population participated in the event.

Overdose awareness is not confined to prison walls. It can affect every community, family, and individual. By coming together, incarcerated individuals, staff, and community partners, are taking meaningful steps toward breaking stigma, spreading knowledge, and building pathways to recovery.

At CMF, and all CDCR prisons, the commitment is clear: through partnership, education, and compassion, we can save lives and create safer, healthier communities both inside and outside the prison system.

incarcerated at overdose awareness day event

incarcerated acting out scenarios for overdose

MCSP celebrates Correctional Construction grads

Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) hosted and celebrated the Correctional Construction Mentorship (CCM) Pre-Apprentice graduating class of 2025. Eight incarcerated individuals received certificates that will help them find employment outside prison walls.

MCSP Correctional Construction Mentorship grads 2025

Since 2002, Correctional Construction Mentorship has handed out over 700 certificates to incarcerated participants acknowledging skills gained in the program. To advance its rehabilitation mission, CCM has created a Pre-Apprentice Program which includes formalized classroom education for incarcerated students, as well as practical application while working on construction projects. This started with a pilot program at the California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino in 2011.

Eligible incarcerated persons must have a high school diploma or be in the process of completing their General Education Development (GED).

The curriculum has been categorized into seven chapters:

Apprentice Orientation
Health and Safety
CPR and First Aid
Blueprints
Industry Awareness
Opportunities in the Crafts
Construction Management
Heritage of the American Worker

Development of the program includes collaboration with the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, the local trade unions, and the institution’s executive and education staff. Each participant must attend four hours classroom training and 36 hours of field training per week. They must complete 120 hours of classroom training to receive a certificate of completion.

CLA visits San Quentin, highlighting innovation in rehabilitation

The Correctional Leadership Association (CLA), a group of former wardens, correctional administrators, and industry experts, were accompanied by Secretary Macomber on a tour of the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (SQRC).

The visit showcased SQRC’s ongoing efforts to transform the correctional system through innovative rehabilitation initiatives prioritizing public safety, reintegration, and community well-being. During the tour, the group explored various sections of the facility, including vocational training programs, educational services, and incarcerated-led programs.

Many of the members, who brought decades of experience as wardens and correctional leaders, were notably impressed by the facility’s commitment to rehabilitation as a means of reducing recidivism and promoting positive change.

One highlight of the visit was the engaging and inspiring tour led by the institution’s public information officer as well as the SQRC incarcerated tour guides. These guides shared personal stories of transformation, emphasizing how the programs at SQRC have helped them develop new skills to prepare for successful reentry into society.

The CLA expressed its appreciation for the transparency of SQRC staff and incarcerated population, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and continued improvement in correctional practices.

In the Media

California Men’s Colony inmates training to become drug and alcohol counselors

Some inmates at the California Men’s Colony are working toward becoming drug and alcohol counselors.

The Occupational Mentor Certification Program allows them to work at other adult institutions upon their release.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is deploying 641 incarcerated firefighters to aid Cal Fire in battling wildfires in California.

As wildfires continue to burn across the state, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has deployed 46 fire crews made up of 641 incarcerated firefighters to assist Cal Fire in battling the fires.