Union says inmate attacks, injures 4 correctional offices at Orleans

Press Release, NYS Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association

ALBION – An inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion, who was intoxicated on a unknown drug, attacked and injured four staff members at the medium security prison last Friday.

On April 14, an officer was conducting routine rounds in one of the facility housing dorms. He heard an inmate yelling from one of the cubes in the dorm and went to investigate.

When the officer arrived at the cube, the inmate was sitting on his bed, frothing from the mouth with the appearance of being intoxicated. The officer immediately called for a medical response.

Suddenly, the inmate jumped to his feet and approached the officer in an aggressive manner and began throwing punches at the officer, which were unsuccessful. The officer pushed the inmate back and administered one application of OC spray.

The inmate was able to partially block the OC spray with his arms. A sergeant entered the housing dorm and gave the inmate several orders to stop the attack, which he ignored. The sergeant placed the inmate in a body hold from behind. The inmate still remained combative.

Another officer responded to the call and administered another application of OC spray, which was again ineffective. Still in a body hold, the inmate threw a punch over his shoulder, striking the sergeant in the face. The inmate was forced to the ground, where he remained resistant.

On the floor, staff were able to apply handcuffs. The inmate was brought to his feet but remained combative. He was escorted to a transport van to be taken for decontamination from the OC spray. Inside the van, the inmate kicked an escort officer in the knee, causing the officer to fall forward onto the inmate and landing on his hand.

Staff restrained the inmate a second time and he became compliant and the escort was completed.

Three officers and a sergeant were injured in the attack. The officer in the van who was kicked and fell, sustained hand and knee injuries. After treatment at the facility, he was treated at Medina Memorial Hospital where X-rays determined he sustained a fractured bone in his hand. The sergeant sustained hand, knee and facial pain and swelling. He was treated at the facility and remained on duty.

Two officers sustained knee, elbow, forearm and knuckle injuries subduing the inmate. They were treated at the facility and remained on duty.

The inmate, 24, is serving a 8- to 10-year sentence after being convicted in Erie County for Burglary 1st and Bail Jumping 1st in 2016. After the attack, the inmate was placed in a Special Housing Unit pending disciplinary charges.

“A few weeks ago, we reported on a vicious assault of an officer who was beaten and slashed at Orleans and now, once again, we are here reporting on three officers and a sergeant attacked and injured,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President.

“One officer undoubtedly will be out of work for weeks with a fracture in his hand. It not only impacts his ability to work, other officers will be mandated to work his shifts, but also any family or community activities he is involved in as we approach the summer months,” Gold said. “These senseless, unprovoked attacks on staff continue to go unchecked and without any ramifications. The HALT Act stripped any discipline that remained to deter inmates from attacking staff or other inmates. Our state government cannot even get a budget passed on time, how can we expect them to take the necessary steps to address the rise in violence in our prisons and communities?”