A New York state prison was placed on lockdown after inmates attacked and injured three officers days after concerns of staffing shortages were reported.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced that the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County was placed on lockdown following an early morning incident on Wednesday. The incident happened around 1 a.m. when three dorms were taken over by inmates and the staff were removed, a union rep for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association stated.
The situation involved the use of force and led to the recovery of two cell phones.
“Assaults on staff are occurring at historic levels,” the union said in a summer press release, adding it was on pace to see a 100% increase in that kind of violent incident over the last five years. And as their ranks thin — the number of officers and sergeants has dropped to about 14,300, a 15% cut from two years ago — the number of inmates continues to rise, reaching more than 33,500.
As a result, union heads say officers and others in the prisons are being forced to work long hours — including shifts of 16 and 24 hours.
Rev Red