8/14/2019 Assaults-nAssaults-on-Corrections-Officers-are-on-the-Rise-in-Westchester

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P AGE 14 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

LABOR

Each year over33,000 CorrectionalOfcers are assaultedand over 20 percent ofthe Ofcers assaultedrequired medicalattention. Nationally,

only 10.9 percent of the assaults areactually prosecuted and according toPrisonOfcer.org, a Corrections Ofcer will be assaulted at least twice in a 20 yearcareer.

In Westchester County, a loneCorrections Ofcers operates housingunits with up to 60 inmates by him/herself, with no weapons, nightsticks orradios, just a single solitary body alarm.Due to budget constraints, CorrectionsManagement found it more feasible tobuild dormitories and have decreased thepower of the Ofcer to lock an inmate inhis cell for the safety and security of thefacility. The Correction Ofcer faces some

of societys worse criminal element on adaily basis. Other law enforcement agen-cies wouldnt dare to approach a groupof murderers, criminal gang members ordrug dealers without their hand on their weapon or night stick but the CorrectionsOfcer does this duty 8-16 hours a day without any weapon or nightstick.

The Corrections Ofcers of Westchester County have recently seen a wave of assaults on our ofcers. One ofour ofcers has been hospitalized and isfacing critical surgery. Is not the safety ofour facility a very serious issue? Where isthe outcry from union leaders to addressthis? With continued post cuts and more violent gang members being incarcerated,there has to be a more proactive stance , orit will only get worse.

How loud would the public outcry beif only 1 in 10 assaults on our city streets, where the assailant was clearly identied, was prosecuted? What would morale be

like in our Police departments if only 1 in10 assaults on our cops were prosecuted? What would our communities be like ifthe criminal element knew they had onlya 1 in10 chance of being prosecuted, evenif we knew who they were and couldprove they committed the assault?

With all the accomplishment anddanger faced by the Westchester CountyCorrection Ofcer, the WestchesterCounty government has failed to actfairly in rewarding the hard working of-cers with a labor contract since 2006. Forthe county executive to say there mustbe Give Backs I totally disagree. In 07,08, and 09, raises for Correction of-cers have been approved in the budgetof those years. The monies are sittingin accounts collecting 17% interest.Unless Westchester County will sharethe interest with the Correction ofcers,and we know they are not, the only fairthing to do would be to give the ofcers

their 07, 08 and 09 labor contracts thdeal with 2010 and on. Judging by recent Arbitration Award given to thhard working Correction Ofcers f07 and 08, their work continues to unappreciated.

When County Executive Astorintoured our facility earlier this year, w was the union leadership a no show explain our dilemma? Its convenient them to say that they chose not to com We must ask the question, Why? Y would think a representative would there for the benet of its members. Wbetter to explain the daily dangers ththe labor union representative that welected to represent the ofcers interesDamon K. Jones is North East RegPresident of the National Black Po Association.

Assaults on Corrections Ofcers are on the Rise in WesBy Damon K. Jones