A total of six corrections officers were injured in three separate incidents officials at Elmira Correctional Facility are calling attacks.
NYSCOPBA reports that on July 20, an officer was attacked after they discovered water on the floor near a cell. When the officer attempted to talk with the inmate about the water, the individual reached through and struck the officer.
Three officers were injured in that incident. However, they remained on duty.
Two days later on July 22, an inmate assaulted two officers. Both were treated at the facility, but were later transferred to a medical center for additional treatment.
They were unable to return to duty.
The third incident occurred on July 23 when an inmate who was returning to his cell, struck an officer multiple times in the face, according to the Union.
NYSCOPBA says the rise in violence in prisons across the state is unacceptable.
“Unless the current disciplinary system that exists as a result of the HALT Act is strengthened to deter future attacks on staff, the violence will continue these historic levels,” Kenny Gold, Western Region Vice President said in a statement. “The simple fact is, this ridiculous legislation has had catastrophic effects on staff safety. The daily attacks on officers and the inmate on inmate violence will continue to rise until the legislators that supported this legislation realize they made a tremendous mistake passing this bill and all they have done is created a powder keg environment in every New York State prison while showing our members they could care less about their well-being. Those men and women, who are overworked and understaffed, deserve far better from those state representatives who supported the HALT Act.”
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