Corrections officials halted all outside visits to New York state prisons in the face of a growing jail guard strike and sporadic inmate unrest ” as riots erupted at another upstate lockup Thursday.
The newest uprising by out-of-control inmates struck the Riverview Correctional Facility, a medium-security site near the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Ogdensburg.
No staffers were hurt during the chaos, which broke out around midnight amid rising tensions between prisoners and their overseers, WWNY reported.
The prison staff decided the situation was getting out-of-control, the network said, so they retreated to a visitors area.
Later, the 15 or 20 overnight guards withdrew again to an administrative section after inmates started breaking glass and trashing the dorms, which hold as many as 500 inmates.
Union officials later told the Times Union that the guards fled their posts because they were worried about their safety.
The staff called for help, and state officials sent in two emergency teams meant to quell the discontent.
Last night, an incident occurred at Riverview Correctional Facility in which staff vacated their posts leaving the dorms unsupervised, a spokesperson for the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision told The Post in an emailed statement.
In response, the Albany Correctional Emergency Response Team, along with the Riverview CERT Team ¦. have intervened to restore order and ensure the safety of all individuals inside, the statement continued.
Their efforts were instrumental in regaining control of the facility and preventing further escalation.
Two inmates were reportedly injured during the chaos, but authorities had retaken the prison by about 8 a.m., WWNY reported.
In a brief social media message Thursday, the state corrections department announced a halt to prison visits until further notice.
The Ogdensburg riot came about a week after officials locked down the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County following an inmate uprising, which left at least one guard hurt.
But in a strange twist, officials are now investigating a corrections sergeant for sparking what might have been an unwarranted lockdown at the medium-security prison in Collins, New York, according to the Times Union.
Officials are trying to figure out if the sergeant wrongly ordered guards to retreat from one of the dormitories ” leaving the inmates in charge of the area.
The preliminary investigation has revealed initial reports by staff were inaccurate thanks to recovered body-worn camera footage, a department spokesperson told the Times Union.
We will continue working with New York State Police to determine the cause of the incident and if any criminal charges are appropriate.
The lockdown sparked four days of informal, protracted strikes by corrections officers at 36 facilities throughout the state ” with many workers protesting conditions they say have left them chronically understaffed, forced into mandatory overtime and in fear of further layoffs.
On Wednesday, State Supreme Court Justice Donna M. Siwek ordered the guards head back to work because their wildcat strike isnt allowed by state law.
Gov. Kathy Hochul ” who had sued to break the picket lines ” on Wednesday signed an executive order calling up 3,500 members of the National Guard for service in the remaining unmanned prisons.
These disruptive and unsanctioned work stoppages by some correction officers must end as they are jeopardizing the safety of their colleagues, the prison population, and causing undue fear for the residents in the surrounding communities, Hochul said in a statement.
The prison workers union ” which represents about 17,000 members ” has said it didnt sanction the strikes, but wants to work with the governor to resolve the labor dispute.
On Thursday, state corrections department Commissioner Daniel Martuscello sent a memo to prison superintendents in an apparent effort to defuse the strikes ” and promised protesting guards the state wouldnt discipline anyone who returned to work before midnight Thursday.
He also said theyd get overtime pay to the tune of two-and-a-half times their regular rate during the system-wide state of emergency, and added that hed immediately rescinded an earlier memo directing prison heads to review their security staffing numbers.
The safety and security of the staff and incarcerated population is paramount to me, Martuscello wrote.
I value the hard work and commitment of the men and women at DOCCS who have had to sacrifice time with their families due to the current staffing shortage, he continued.
At this time, I am urging all those on strike to return to the facilities today in order to restore the safety and security to our facilities.
Meanwhile, Hochul issued a Thursday statement saying shes working on safety reforms, including installing new security cameras, strengthening the Office of Special Investigations and increasing compensation for our hard-working correction officers.
Public safety is my top priority, the governor said. I will continue doing everything in my power to keep our correctional facilities safe for all.
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