Eight corrections officers at the Five Points Correctional Facility were injured during a series of violent incidents involving inmates, highlighting a troubling trend of increasing assaults on staff across New York State’s prison system.
The assaults occurred in four separate incidents between September and November, according to a press release. In one case on September 13, an inmate kicked an officer multiple times in the groin, thigh, and knee during a cell altercation, resulting in injuries to three officers. On September 25, an officer conducting security rounds was doused with urine-smelling liquid.
Two additional officers were injured on September 26 when an inmate became combative during a pat frisk, pushing off a wall and resisting efforts to apply handcuffs. Another attack on October 18 left two officers with lower back and knee injuries after an inmate lunged and spit at them during an escort. On November 6, a cell extraction turned violent when an inmate charged officers, injuring one in the process.
All officers involved received medical attention for their injuries, with some unable to return to work due to the severity of their conditions.
“These assaults demonstrate the dangerous environment corrections officers face daily,” said Kenny Gold, Vice President of the NYSCOPBA Western Region. He criticized state officials for downplaying the risks and alleged a lack of support for staff since the HALT Act’s enactment in 2022, which limited the use of solitary confinement.
Gold pointed to a record number of staff injuries, including concussions, broken bones, and other serious conditions, as evidence of the worsening conditions. He expressed frustration with lawmakers, calling for greater protections and resources for corrections officers.
Despite official efforts to frame these injuries as statistically insignificant, corrections staff report feeling increasingly vulnerable as assaults escalate in frequency and severity.
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