IDOC says Saturday ISP lockdown involved 50 offenders

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - A Saturday melee that resulted in a lockdown at ISP is coming under fire from a union head who says it points to a larger problem of understaffing. However Iowa Department of Corrections officials said the incident was handled professionally and efficiently by staff on hand at the time.

Lettie Prell, Iowa Department of Corrections spokeswoman said approximately 50 offenders were involved in the altercation on Saturday.

"The department continues to investigate the situation," Prell said today. "In the meantime, the department confirms approximately fifty offenders were involved in the altercation. The correctional officers showed exceptional professionalism, skill, and care for the offenders’ safety, and they responded and gained control of the incident immediately. They did a great job."

However Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, said information he received from a correctional officer told a different story.

“The Iowa Department of Corrections did a shameful job of reporting the true scope of the riot resulting in a lockdown at the Iowa State Penitentiary on Saturday," Homan said in a statement released today. "The so-called “multiple offenders” was actually at least 72 inmates, and the reported lack of weapons failed to mention the tennis rackets that were used as weapons in the racially-motivated fight. The only detail they did get right was the swift de-escalation of the riot by the responding Correctional Officers."

“According to a Correctional Officer from ISP, this was the scariest situation that he and many of his colleagues had ever encountered on the job," Homan said in a statement released today. "Some of his longer serving counterparts recalled that the only incident to even come close to the magnitude of this violent outbreak was the ISP riot in 1981. This may very well have been the single largest prison fight in our state’s history. The fact that no staff were injured and the involved inmates only sustained minor injuries is a miracle."

But Prell pointed to the quick resolution as an indicator of the preparedness of the facility to handle the fight. She also said Homan's choice of words is a deliberate attempt to invoke a strong reaction.

"Using terms like “riot” and “violent uprising” to describe the altercation that occurred on Saturday, July 1 indicates either a lack of understanding of these terms, or a deliberate attempt to invoke a strong, emotional reaction. While there was a large fight between offenders, there were no assaults on staff, no hostages, and no damage to property," she said.

"All of the information in the department’s press release was accurate and timely. There was an incident involving multiple offenders on the yard. Staff responded swiftly and gained immediate control of the situation. While responding to the incident there were no noted injuries to staff. Only minor injuries to offenders were reported, and no weapons were known to be involved."

 

AFSCME, Danny Homan, Iowa Department of Corrections, Iowa State Penitentiary, ISP, Lettie Prell

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