Correctional officer killed at USP-Atwater

[ATW-Hack]

Originally Posted by dandersondwa

Open Letter to Warden Smith - USP Atwater

Letter: Open letter to warden -- MercedSunStar.com :: Merced News, Real Estate, Jobs, Cars and more -

Great letter Mr. Anderson, Thanks for being a voice for us that they can't silence or discourage. You ROCK Sir!

[tcurtis76]

Originally Posted by bop_steward

This looks like the same cookie cutter bullsh*t response I get from my congressman everytime I send him correspondence.

at least yall get a response I wrote two letters to mine and sent her an email on the hr 5674 bill and have gotten no response but guess what she is up for reelection and thats one reason why the guy thats running against her has got a sign in my yard

[dandersondwa]

Corinne Rilley and the Merced Sun-Star Newspaper has come through. This is a must read article. Go to their website and email to anyone you can think of: Two articles:
1st link is a must read.
Atwater prison policies leave staff in grave danger, correctional officers say -- MercedSunStar.com :: Merced News, Real Estate, Jobs, Cars and more -

U.S. prison officials considering safety vests, union says -- MercedSunStar.com :: Merced News, Real Estate, Jobs, Cars and more -

[Atw-Hacksgirl]

abc30.com: Prison Guard Safety Concerns 7/02/08

I don't know if this link will work, but there was a story on the news tonight about the AFGE. . .really good media coverage! Here's the story to go along with it. . .

By Sara SandrikAtwater, CA (KFSN) -- The tragic death of a correctional officer inside the Atwater Penitentiary sparks a new push to improve safety and funding at all federal prisons.
The union's request for help comes less than two weeks after authorities say Officer Jose Rivera was murdered by two inmates at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater.
The American Federation of Government Employees, or A.F.G.E., wants protective vests and non-lethal weapons for federal correctional officers, but it said the most important thing is more staffing.
A YouTube video shows a riot inside the Atwater prison in 2006. The officers have little to protect themselves until backup arrives with batons and flash bang devices. The union that represents federal correctional officers said it has been asking for the funding to provide better protective measures for years. But today union reps met with bureau of prisons officials to make demands. "We're demanding right now that the bureau change its policy and allow our officers, allow our officers to wear stab proof vests," said John Gage, President of A.F.G.E.

Union officials said stab-proof vests like this one, along with non-lethal weapons would help buy correctional officers more time during an attack. But they say the most critical need is for more staffing. The union reports that between 2005 and 2007 the bureau of prisons lost 2,300 staff positions, but added more than 20,000 inmates. Union officials say that means officers, including Rivera, are often left alone with more than a hundred prisoners.
Phil Glover, A.F.G.E. Council of Local Prison Coordinator said, "This kid was alone in a housing unit, and that's all I need to say about the incident, alone in a high security housing unit. He should have had backup, there should have been two officers in that unit at least."
James Spencer worked at the Atwater Penitentiary from 2001 to 2007. He said he saw a disturbing change during that time claiming the conditions changed, "from the safest to one of the most dangerous."
Spencer blames the shift largely on staff cuts. He said it can now take more than 45 seconds for back-up to arrive during an attack as opposed to just 10-15 seconds with more personnel. "Now in that time frame, in that time frame, Officer Rivera would be alive," said Spencer.
We tried contacting officials here at the Atwater Penitentiary and were referred to the Bureau of Prisons, but the bureau did not return our calls.

[Atw-Hacksgirl]

Originally Posted by dandersondwa

Corinne Rilley and the Merced Sun-Star Newspaper has come through. This is a must read article. Go to their website and email to anyone you can think of: Two articles:
1st link is a must read.
Atwater prison policies leave staff in grave danger, correctional officers say -- MercedSunStar.com :: Merced News, Real Estate, Jobs, Cars and more -

U.S. prison officials considering safety vests, union says -- MercedSunStar.com :: Merced News, Real Estate, Jobs, Cars and more -

I was so impressed with these articles. Well written and researched. Amen for the media!! Keep the BOP in the spotlight until we get some actions!

[dandersondwa]

Originally Posted by ATW-Hack

Great letter Mr. Anderson, Thanks for being a voice for us that they can't silence or discourage. You ROCK Sir!

Thank You ... ATW-Hack- Did you see Corinne Rilley's article tonight on the sun star web site?

Stay Safe !!

[shakedownshorti]

Very good article's, it is about time the BOP gets halfway portrayed properly!!! The BOP Officer's need all the help they can get!

[Grandma]

Originally Posted by bop_steward

Thank you for explainingthis so eloquently. These fockers use numbers to spin their agendas to make the prettiest picture possible. Yeah we are 89% staffed, and to the average joe that is not bad. But when you see raw data, you see that it is 89% staffed of the absolute bare minimum amount of staff required to properly run an institution. If you NEED 100 staff to run a joint, then how can you do it with 89? Middle management is expecting the line staff to cut corners and do more with less. FU<K THEM!

Yep. Gosh if we could all just be team players and consistantly do more with less...the biggest problem is that management doesn't have a clue how to plug in the inmates as a variable in their management equasion. This isn't a blasted factory where management can try to raise production quotas! The inmates just aren't being team players. Must be the officers fault. Sorry, but my cynicism is at an all time high.

[bop_steward]

Kudos to the news media in stepping it up and putting some feet to the fire. Wardens, RD's and the director remember a time when staff did not need the protective equipment that we DO need now. It is funny that when they do a tour of a prison, they always lock it down so they are not any "incidents". Let these fu<kers walk the yard during evening watch by themselves! I am sure that once they pull the pacifier out of their mouths, they will be screaming for additional protective gear. I am also extremely pleased to see John Gage step up and assist Bryan and Phil.

[copboy]

Actually I disagree. When I was at USP Coleman, and FCI Estill, thr RD visited many times. The Director visited and the institution was not locked down. Lappin walked the compound during a 10 minute move at USP Coleman as well as Estill.