Union speaks out after violent prison assault

DANNEMORA | A violent prison incident in late March has prompted public outcry and left local union officials condemning recent legislation they said will further fail to protect officers from inmate assaults. "With a weakened disciplinary system in place now, and with the HALT bill signed into law by the Governor, there is virtually no deterrent left for inmates not to attack staff on a daily basis. Our elected officials consistently fail to recognize the need to protect staff from these constant unprovoked attacks," NYSCOPBA Northern Region Vice President John Roberts said in an April 2 statement regarding a recent volatile incident at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. The incident unfolded March 20 when a 41-year-old inmate became aggressive with officers in the recreation yard and refused orders to deescalate the situation. After becoming combative, the inmate reportedly remained unruly and struggled with officers as he was escorted from the yard. Once inside, the inmate reportedly confronted other staff and lunged toward a sergeant before spitting in his face. He then spits on a nearby officer and hit him in the face before he was again placed in body holds and escorted to the facility hospital for evaluation. Once there, "he refused all orders from medical staff and began to be aggressive and combative", officials said, resulting in his move to a Special Housing Unit cell for observation, where he then reportedly again assaulted officers as they attempted to frisk him for contraband. Officers again used body holds in an effort to maintain control, though the man was reportedly able to elbow another officer in the eye. Despite the use of pepper spray, the inmate reportedly remained combative and was placed in handcuffs for transport back to the prison hospital for decontamination from the spray. Once inside an elevator, however, the inmate spit blood in the face of a sergeant. Following his decontamination, the inmate was placed back in the Special Housing Unit pending disciplinary charges. The officer and sergeant who were spit on were transported to a local hospital for possible exposure. Several other staff sustained minor injuries but remained on duty. The incident remains under investigation and charges are now likely against the inmate, who is serving a seven-year weapons sentence in connection with a shooting incident in Utica. Union officials said the incident highlights the everyday dangers officers face behind prison walls as they now condemn recent solitary-confinement legislation they fear will have adverse impacts on officer safety across the state. "It took staff close to two hours to get one violent inmate under control as he continued to refuse orders and fight with staff. Besides the officer and sergeant getting exposed to spit and blood, no other staff were seriously injured thankfully," Roberts said. Further coverage of the HALT bill legislation, including reactions from local lawmakers who voted against the measure, will be featured on suncommunitynews.com in the coming days.

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Union speaks out after violent prison assault

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