Lake County Jail Staff   Did You Know?   Jail Tours

Lake County Jail Staff
Correctional Officers are responsible for facility security by overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been convicted of a criminal offense and sentenced to serve time in jail. Officers maintain security and inmates accountability to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. There 179 sworn Correctional Officers who must work as a team. Officers are not allowed to carry guns inside the jail, but are allowed to carry pepper spray for disruptive inmates. Being a Correctional Officer is a stressful and hazardous occupation. Each year, serveral officers are injured in confrontations with inmates. According to the National Institute of Corrections, the life expectancy of a C/O with 20 years of service is age 58.

Officers are trained to handle all aspects of the job. Officers must have good judgment, the ability to think and act quickly. Officers must successfully complete a 120 hour C.T.O. (Correction Training Officers) program and 40 hours training at the Indiana Police Academy in the first year. Non-probationary officers must complete 40 hours in-service training each year to keep current of new developments and procedures. Training includes cultural diversity and sensitivity training, CPR, suicides, HIV, and special needs inmates. There are twenty (15) C.T.O.s and eleven (12) ILEA Certified Trainers within the Corrections Division. Line Officers, those directly supervising inmates, are the backbone of the jail.

Breaches of security, disturbances, violations of rules and any unusual occurrences are reported daily. Some of our Correctional Officers are members of the Special Operations Response Team, which we call the S.O.R.T. team. These officers are trained to respond to disturbances, riots, hostage situations, forced cell moves, and other potentially dangerous confrontations. Team members receive training and practice with weapons, chemical agents, forced entry methods, crisis management and other tactics.

Warden of Lake County Jail - Caren Jones
Warden Jones is first in command in administrating the operations of the Lake County Jail, which has the second largest jail population in Indiana. Her major responsibilities are developing a responsible fiscal budget, plan and develop policies and procedures, oversee the day-to-day operations of corrections personnel with particular attention to the security and humane treatment of inmates. Warden Jones must be accessible to the public and communicate with staff and inmates in an efficient manner. She has been a corrections officer for 15 years and believes in TQM (Total Quality Management).

Assistant Warden - Ray Ivetic
Asst. Warden Ivetic is second in command of the Lake County Jail. His responsibilities include coordinating services for commissary, food service, medical/mental health services, work release, religious service, answer inmate grievances, and oversee all Deputy Wardens in the daily operations of the jail. AW Ivetic has been a corrections officer for 18 years and maintains that you have to be a good listener and communicator to have positive results while working in the jail.

Deputy Warden of Operations - John Dragomer
Deputy Warden of Operations is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the jail, review jail incidents reports for the log books, video surveillance equipment, inmate and department phone system, facility maintenance, booking and intake, classification, support staff (housekeeping, clothing - laundry, front desk, mail, inmate movement and court officers. DW Dragomer has been a corrections officer for 7 years and believes in promoting teamwork.

Deputy Warden of Security – Sort Commander - Craig Ponton
Deputy Warden of Security is responsible for A, B, C turns, implementations of policy and procedure, investigations of allegations against Corrections staff made by inmates, supervisors or staff members. Oversees day-to-day jail operations and security, daily integrations and assistance with the public, outside agencies and inmate family members regarding special circumstances. Troubleshoot integrator system, Translogic system, Hirsch system, locks and keys, and video equipment. DW Ponton is the Commander of the jail SORT Team (Special Operations Response Team). He has been a corrections officer for 18 years and insists on team integrity.

Deputy Warden of Personnel/Training - Ginny Ratajczak
Deputy Warden of Personnel/Training is responsible as keeper of personnel files, maintain and update all personnel and medical files on each employee, maintains employee time sheets and state board of accounts for the Jail Division employees, oversees the training division, makes sure correctional officers receive mandatory training according to ACA standards yearly and maintain the documentation, rules and regulations updates through the Lake County Corrections Merit Board. Responsible for employee evaluations, posting and interviews for job openings, monitor sick leaves, and process new applications and promotions testing. DW Ratajczak has been a corrections officer for 21 years. She believes an officer's greatest strength is communication.