Dozens of correctional facilities canceled prison visits one day after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order to provide National Guard members to provide extra security.
Dozens of corrections facilities across New York state have ceased visits as the safety of personnel grow after another riot erupted inside an upstate prison.
“Visitation in all DOCCS facilities is cancelled until further notice,” the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision wrote in a post on their Facebook page.
The latest prison unrest happened around midnight on Thursday inside the Riverview Correctional Facility, according to reports from WWNY.
The outlet reported that dorms inside the facility were under inmate control for several hours, where staff said they felt “unsafe.” However, the state told the outlet that correctional officers vacated their posts, leaving the dorms unsupervised.
NEW YORK STATE PRISON PLACED ON LOCKDOWN AFTER INMATES TAKE OVER, INJURE THREE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS
The outlet learned that as many as 500 inmates were housed in 10 dormitories at Riverview after speaking to several sources. It was also determined that around 15-20 staff members were on the overnight shift.
It was not clear what led to the tensions that escalated between inmates and corrections officers, but prison staff deemed conditions were unsafe and pulled staff back into a visitors’ area, the outlet reported.
Correction officers said they could hear, what sounded like inmates breaking glass and damaging the dormitories and so the staff left the visitors area and entered the administrative area of the prison where they felt safe.
The staff then called for help, where at least 2 teams arrived from Gouverneur and Albany.
The facility was back fully under state control around 8 a.m. on Thursday.
No corrections facility staff were injured during the ordeal, according to the outlet.
“Last night, with everything that happened during the night, it was very scary. I couldn’t imagine being in their shoes in there. 25 years in corrections, things have changed in corrections,” John Robla, a retired corrections officer told the outlet.
A spokesperson for the NYS Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association also confirmed the incident to the outlet and said “it’s aware of what happened overnight.”
“After midnight, inmates took over several dorms at Riverview after they became unruly, and the officers assigned to the dorm felt their safety was at risk and exited the dorms. Sometime late this morning, the dorms were under control and restaffed.”
This latest incident comes nearly a week after another corrections facility was put on lockdown due to an inmate uprising.
The incident happened around 1 a.m. on Feb. 12 at the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County when three dorms were taken over by inmates and the staff were removed.
Kenny Gold, vice president of the Western Region for the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) told the Albany Union Times that three correction officers sustained minor injuries.
The outlet also reported that Daniel Martuscello III, commissioner of the DOCCS had issued a memo earlier in the week announcing permanent staffing changes brought on by “chronic shortages.”
WRGB reported that recent past incidents at the facility have raised concerns after nine officers were injured in a June 12 incident. Then, less than two months later, 11 officers were hospitalized after coming into contact with a substance after trying to help an inmate on Aug. 4.
On Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order activating members of the New York National Guard to help “ensure safety and security at correctional facilities while the illegal and unlawful work stoppage by correction officers continues.”
The order also provides authority for additional overtime compensation for correction officers and other staff who are reporting for duty and actively working to secure facilities.
New York State also filed an injunction under the Taylor Law and a judge granted a temporary restraining order mandating striking correction officers to cease the illegal activity on Wednesday.
“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,” Governor Hochul said.
“In an effort to resolve this illegal work stoppage I have directed the appointment of highly respected independent mediator Martin Scheinman who will begin work immediately to return striking correction officers back to work. While I am confident we will resolve this illegal strike, I am grateful for the thousands of correction officers and staff that are continuing to report for duty – I thank them for their continued service and for doing the right thing.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association and Gov. Hochul’s office, but did not immediately receive a response.