An area jail guard was reportedly “knocked unconscious” after being uncovered to poisonous substances, because the correction officers’ union pleads with the state for extra protections.
A correction officer at MCI-Shirley was rushed to the hospital after being “knocked unconscious by some kind of synthetic drug and/or chemical” over the weekend, in response to the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union.
Different inmates have been additionally severely injured within the incident, the union reported on Monday.
Following this jail guard’s hospitalization and a reported string of comparable incidents, the general public security union is urging the Massachusetts Division of Correction to implement an “exposure policy” for when officers are uncovered to artificial medication and chemical substances, together with fentanyl and K2.
“Enough is enough, the DOC needs to implement a policy that will assure fast, consistent and safe responses to our membership when exposed to these harmful chemicals, and just as importantly come up with a strategy to eliminate these illegal substances,” stated Dennis Martin, president of the union.
“This union calls on the DOC to recognize this problem and address it,” Martin added.
The state company ought to launch weekly or usually rotating institutional shake downs, cell and block searches and deploy its canine division to “weed out, reduce and eradicate these deadly substances and chemicals,” the union prez stated.
“MCOFU has been forced into litigation against the DOC regarding its lack of policy and clear direction when exposed to life threatening drugs inside their prisons,” Martin stated. “One of our members does not need to die before DOC leadership decides to work with the union to address major issues. Neither my members, nor inmates are safe inside Massachusetts prisons under this DOC leadership.”
When the Healey administration earlier this 12 months introduced they have been closing MCI-Harmony to economize, the correction officers union warned that the closure would burden different prisons.
Closing the Harmony jail was consistent with a lower in jail populations, at its lowest level in 35 years, Gov. Maura Healey stated on the time.
“The DOC mistakenly thinks because we have a reduced inmate population, our problems have dissipated, and that’s completely wrong and a false narrative,” the union stated. “Now more than ever, we should be working closely and collaboratively on the challenges that face our officers and staff on a daily basis, rather than this deep divide and isolationism that has recently been promulgated by the Department.”
The Massachusetts Division of Correction didn’t instantly reply to remark.
