NYSCOPBA news release
CAPE VINCNET, NY – A 32 year old inmate suspected to be high on drugs, attacked an inmate and injured four officers who attempted to stop the attack at the medium security correctional facility.
The attack occurred on Wednesday, August 11. A officer assigned to one of the housing dorms observed the inmate acting erratic and being loud. He witnessed the inmate enter another inmate’s cube and punch him in the head. The inmate retreated from the attack to safety. The officer gave orders to the aggressive inmate to stop, which he refused. He entered another cube and attempted to assault a second inmate but was unsuccessful. The officer followed him into the cube. The inmate turned and struck him three times in the head. The officer grabbed him in a body hold and forced him to the ground. Additional staff arrived and assisted in getting handcuffs on the inmate. Staff escorted the inmate out of the dorm to the infirmary. During the escort, the inmate began to struggle and was forced by staff to the ground again. Once he arrived at the infirmary, he attempted to attack staff again by kicking them.
Once under control, a registered nurse at the infirmary determined the inmate was intoxicated on an unknown drug.
The inmate, who is serving a seven year sentence after being convicted in Suffolk County in 2017 for Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd, was treated at the infirmary and transferred to a Special Housing Unit pending disciplinary charges.
Four officers were injured in the incident. The officer who was initially attacked, sustained pain and swelling to his head, headache and a thumb sprain. Three officers who helped subdue the inmate, sustained minor injuries.
All four officers were treated by facility medical staff and remained on duty.
The inmate who was attacked sustained a head contusion and was treated at the infirmary.
On the same day of the attack, staff recovered 19 orange strips of Suboxone in inmate mail. The drugs, which were discovered by an officer processing the mail, were hidden inside the battery compartment of a watch mailed to an inmate.
The watch was mailed from Buffalo.
The drugs were seized as evidence.
“Contraband continues to be a significant problem in all of our prisons. Yet, DOCCS continues to ignore the issue and refuses to re-install the Secure Vendor Program. There is no reasonable explanation that the administration can provide not to and that certainly shortchanges our members and puts their safety at risk. Four officers and an inmate were injured by an inmate high on drugs in the latest violence. Obviously the drugs found their way into his hands and created a potentially very dangerous situation.” – said Bryan Hluska , Central Region Vice President.