COLLINS — Four separate incidents involving drugs within the last month at an area correctional facility have led to minor injuries for a sergeant and seven officers, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association noted in a press release Tuesday.

The latest occurred Saturday in Collins Correctional Facility. An officer conducting routine rounds entered one of the facility dorms when he observed several inmates acting strangely. When he entered the dorm, he approached an inmate who appeared to be intoxicated and was acting out. He directed the inmate to calm down. The inmate refused and spit food at the officer and slapped him in the face. The officer immediately grabbed the inmate in a body hold and forced him to the ground. He was placed in handcuffs.

Once in handcuffs, the inmate became compliant. He was escorted by staff off the dorm and to the infirmary for evaluation.

The injured officer was treated by facility medical staff for redness and swelling to his face and ear and a thumb injury. He remained on duty after being treated.

“As anyone can see with these incidents at Collins Correctional Facility, dangerous drugs are still getting into the hands of inmates and that directly causes a serious safety concern for staff when inmates are under the influence and violent,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region vice president. “Seven officers and one sergeant injured in one facility alone where inmates were under the influence is unacceptable. This past Sunday, staff quickly quelled a potentially violent disturbance involving several inmates that were on drugs in one of the dorms and thankfully there was no further incident.”

The most serious attack occurred April 6. An officer assigned to a cell block heard a loud noise in close proximity to the bathroom. The officer went to investigate and observed a 43-year-old inmate face down on the bathroom floor in an intoxicated state, flailing his arms. The officer gave the inmate several orders and the inmate failed to respond. The officer immediately called for a response.

When additional staff arrived, the inmate was now inside a bathroom stall, sitting on the floor. When one of the officers opened the stall, the inmate kicked him three times in the stomach. Pepper spray was administered with no effect and the inmate remained combative inside the stall. Multiple applications of pepper spray were again administered with no effect. Staff entered the stall, grabbed the inmate by both arms and legs, and pulled him out of the stall to the floor of the bathroom. He continued to be combative and struggle with staff, kicking at them, and he bit one officer in the wrist during the struggle.

After getting the intoxicated inmate under control, handcuffs were applied. When staff attempted to bring the inmate to his feet, he kicked backwards, kicking an officer in the thigh and groin area. Staff began to escort the inmate to the infirmary when he suddenly fell to the floor. A stretcher was utilized by staff to transport the inmate the remaining way to the infirmary. During the transport, the inmate bit another officer on the left hand.

When he arrived at the infirmary, medical staff determined he was incoherent and unresponsive.

Narcan was administered four times with no effect. An ambulance was called and arrived at the facility to transport the inmate to a local hospital. As EMTs were treating the inmate, he became responsive, coughing and spitting up blood.

He was transported to Erie County Medical Center for additional treatment of a suspected drug overdose.

A sergeant and five officers sustained injuries during the attack. They were treated by facility medical staff for bite marks, shoulder and back pain, abrasions and hip and groin injuries.

All injured staff remained on duty.

“In the past year, we have made everyone aware of the failure of the HALT Act and violence that has occurred after the unsafe legislation passed,” Gold said. “We cannot lose sight to the fact that many of the assaults that have occurred have been at the hands of inmates under the influence of drugs and the HALT Act has also stripped any deterrence there was left for inmates not to engage with contraband. Just another reason why it is an utter failure.”

The Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement” Act — HALT Act –restricts the use of segregated confinement and creates alternative therapeutic and rehabilitative confinement options; limits the length of time a person may be in segregated confinement and excludes certain persons from being placed in segregated confinement. It became law in 2020.

On Tuesday, March 28, an officer sustained minor forearm injuries after an inmate forcefully grabbed his arm during a routine pat frisk for contraband. The incident occurred inside a hearing room at the facility. The officer ordered the inmate to the side of the room and to submit to a pat frisk. Initially, the inmate put his hands on the wall. When the officer approached, the inmate spun off the wall and grabbed the officer’s arm. The officer immediately grabbed the inmate in a body hold and forced him back onto the wall. A second officer responded and assisted in forcing the inmate to the floor. On the floor and still combative, pepper spray was administered with no effect. A sergeant and two officers entered the room and assisted in applying handcuffs to the inmate. Once in handcuffs, the inmate became compliant.

The injured officer sustained abrasions and scratches to his forearm. He was treated at the facility and remained on duty.

On Tuesday, March 21, a staff search for contraband recovered a piece of metal sharpened on one end hidden in the cell of one of the inmates. During the search, a K-9 alerted on the inmate for drugs. A strip search was conducted by staff and a piece of paper saturated in alleged liquid drugs and wrapped in toilet paper was located on the inmate.

The contraband was seized and sent out for additional testing.