O'Mara, Palmesano and Friend issue statement in support of correction officers at Elmira Correctional Facility (UPDATED, May 10)

Elmira, N.Y., May 9—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats), Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) and Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) threw their support behind the correction officers at the Elmira Correctional Facility (ECF) who are conducting an “informational picket” at the ECF today to raise awareness of deteriorating conditions within their facility and prisons statewide.

In mid-March an inmate-on-inmate assault led to the ECF being put on lockdown for several days.  That assault followed an incident earlier in March in which a correction officer was stabbed trying to break up a fight.

In a joint statement, O’Mara, Palmesano and Friend said, “There’s a dangerous, increasingly volatile environment within our state prisons, and we agree that our correction officers are at risk.  Prison violence is at an all-time for several reasons, including staff cuts, budget reductions, and highly questionable policy decisions including the most recent settlement to restrict the use of special housing units even for the most brutal, violent felons imaginable.  It doesn’t make sense.  It’s made a difficult, dangerous job even less safe.  We commend Elmira Correctional Facility officers for their efforts today to raise more widespread awareness of their personal safety concerns, the security of the Elmira Correctional Facility and prisons statewide, and the absolute need to provide correction officers with the absolute best in training, technology and tools to combat this rising tide of violence, including policies and procedures to encourage good behavior.  The absolute priority must be to ensure that the Elmira Correctional Facility and every other state prison is defined by safety and security for officers and staff, for inmates making an honest attempt at rehabilitation, and for the public at large.  We’re proud to represent a large number correction officers and their families.  We respect the job they do, their dedicated service and commitment to public safety, and we will stand firmly behind them in every effort to achieve a more secure prison environment.”

[UPDATE, May 10th: Read and watch more from:

The Leader, "Correction officers protest conditions at Elmira Correctional Facility"   

AM 1480 WLEA, "O'Mara and Palmesano Statement of Support of Elmira Correctional Workers"

Finger Lakes Radio News, "Elmira Corrections Officers Protest Unsafe Working Conditions"

WETM-TV, "Correction Officers Protest Working Conditions"

Star-Gazette, "Correction officers protest conditions at Elmira prison"]

Late last year, the local lawmakers expressed skepticism over a settlement reached by the Cuomo administration on measures to limit deterrence strategies within the state’s prisons, including the use of special housing units, which they feared would put correctional officers at risk.  The deal   roughly cut in half the number of infractions that can result in isolation for felons and also capped how long these convicts can be kept away from other prisoners – even for the most violent, consistently disruptive inmates within the state’s prison population.

Palmesano has toured six correctional facilities in the region, including two in his legislative district, over the past 18 months. They are Livingston Correctional Facility, Groveland Correctional Facility, Five Points Correctional Facility, Elmira Correctional Facility, Southport Correctional Facility and the Willard Drug Treatment Campus.  O’Mara, Palmesano and Friend all have constituents working at each of the regional facilities.

In late April, in a statement addressing the rising violence within the state prison system, New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) President Michael Powers said that “correction officers go to work every day in an increasingly dangerous environment that puts both their own lives and the lives of inmates in jeopardy. It’s time we began a conversation to reshape our prisons into a safer and more secure environment for those who work and live there.”