NYSCOPBA’s Assault and Safety Awareness Campaign
by Webmaster | Oct 31, 2014
Video – Photos of Press Conference
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Inmate-on-Staff Assaults – Graph
Inmate-on-Inmate Assaults – Graph
We have embarked on a public relations campaign to address an increase of assaults on Correction Officers and other major safety concerns. Despite repeatedly relaying our concerns to the DOCCS Administration about the safety of our members, they have failed to appropriately address the current violent climate inside the facilities.
We have held press conferences across the State to make our message to DOCCS and the public clear; the prisons we work in are becoming more dangerous and DOCCS is not doing anything to address the issue.
Consider these points:
– At its current pace assaults are on pace to reach over 700 by the end of 2014. That is a 11 percent increase from the previous year.
– Since 2010, assaults on staff have increased by 24 percent. During the same time period the inmate population has decreased by over 3000.
– How can DOCCS statistics show “ZERO” number of serious assaults on staff when in the past year alone we have had officers stabbed, hospitalized with concussions, broken bones and compound fractures.
– Contraband including dangerous drugs continually makes its way into the prisons fueling tensions among gangs and sparking fights, stabbings and assaults on staff.
– Make shift weapons hidden by prisoners that are used against other inmates and staff. Several lockdowns that occurred this past year turned up dozens of weapons during searches.
– Since 2010, 15 facilities have been closed causing DOCCS to reclassify inmates with violent histories into medium security prisons where inmates are not confined in a cell.
– Closing and not filling posts on a daily basis has created staffing shortages that jeopardize the safety of Correction Officers. The Division of Budget allocated for an additional 275 officers for the 2014/2015 fiscal year and seven months into the fiscal year, those positions have yet to be filled.
As you are well aware, our Members have been subjected to an increase in assaults by inmates recently and other significant safety concerns that make our job more dangerous than it needs to be. You may also know that we have been in discussions with DOCCS regarding the increased assaults and our safety concerns for many months. Unfortunately, DOCCS doesn’t appear to be taking our concerns seriously, continually minimizes to severity of incidents that occur and tinkers with the assault/injury statistics to downplay the increasing trend of violence in our Correctional Facilities.
We can not continue to allow DOCCS to string us along with empty promises and assurances that they will look into the issue. Enough is enough! This is not a game, this is our lives, our careers and our safety that’s at stake.
To make our message clear to DOCCS and the public that these issues need to be taken seriously and addressed immediately, NYSCOPBA has scheduled a series of press conferences across the State to discuss our safety concerns and DOCCS inaction in addressing them. We encourage all Members to attend to show support for our cause. The exact locations of the press conferences will be announced as soon as we determine a suitable location. The press conferences will be attended by the media for live coverage so please dress for the camera and wear your NYSCOPBA attire. Thank you for your support!
PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 28
9:30 am – outside of Elmira Correctional Facility
12:30 pm- outside of Attica Correctional Facility
3:30 pm- outside of Marcy Correctional Facility
Wednesday, October 29
10:00 am – outside of NYSCOPBA’s Albany Office
1:00 pm – outside of Otisville Correctional Facility