2 officers haven’t returned to work, others injured after attacks at Orleans and Albion prisons

Posted 10 May 2022 at 12:22 pm

Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, Inc.

ALBION – Inmate violence continues to plaque state prisons as several officers were injured at Orleans and Albion Correctional Facilities following unprovoked attacks at the two medium-security prisons.

The injured officers have not returned to duty after the attacks.

The first attacked occurred on April 28 at the Orleans Correctional Facility. An officer observed two inmates in a bathroom stall at the facility. He ordered both inmates out of the stall, and they initially complied.

While exiting the bathroom, one of the inmates turned towards the officer and punched him multiple times in the head and upper body. The officer immediately called for a response as the inmate continued to attack him. The officer grabbed the inmate in a body hold. With one arm still free, the inmate continued to strike the officer in the head. The officer forced the inmate to the floor, where he remained combative. OC spray was administered with no effect.

Two officers arrived to assistance call and were able to get the inmate’s arms behind his back, where handcuffs were applied.

Once in handcuffs, the inmate became compliant. He was placed in a Special Housing Unit, pending disciplinary charges.

The correction officer attacked sustained multiple abrasions to his neck, back, face and arms, pain and swelling to his shoulder and knee and a contusion to the back of his head. He was treated by medical staff at the facility and transported to an outside hospital for further treatment.

On May 1 an officer at Orleans was assaulted by an inmate after he removed the inmate’s handcuffs inside a program classroom. The inmate struck the officer in the head with such force it knocked the officer into the classroom wall. Four officers immediately responded to the attack and grabbed the inmate in body holds to contain him. A sergeant administered OC spray to the inmate, which had the desired effect.

Once the inmate was compliant, handcuffs were applied and he was removed from the classroom.

The inmate, 25, was subsequently transferred to Auburn Correctional Facility after the incident.

The injured officer was treated at the facility  for pain and swelling to his cheekbone and jaw.  He was transported to Medina Memorial Hospital for additional treatment.

On May 4 two officers sustained shoulder and elbow injuries at Albion Correctional Facility after a female inmate attacked one of the officers with a broom in the facility gymnasium.

The inmate was creating a disturbance in the gymnasium.  The officer assigned to the gym approached the inmate and ordered her to stop her actions. The inmate grabbed a broom and struck the officer in the shoulder.

The officer immediately grabbed the inmate in a body hold and forced her to the ground. On the ground and still combative, the officer, with the assistance of a second officer, were able to apply handcuffs as the inmate continued to fight and attempted to kick them.

The inmate was brought to her feet, where she remained combative. The two officers removed the inmate from the gymnasium and placed her in a Special Housing Unit pending disciplinary charges.

The two injured officers were treated by facility medical staff and did not return to duty.

“NYSCOPBA is renewing its call for state legislators to repeal the HALT Act amid a drastic rise in attacks on staff by inmates,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “Instead of coddling convicted felons, legislators should be supporting our members who are being slashed, hit with brooms and violently attacked daily. What will it take for legislators to act? Does a staff member have to die before they wake up and realize this legislation was a catastrophe from the start? HALT needs to be repealed immediately, not tomorrow, next month or next year.”