Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Correctional officer details assaults in support of prison staffing bill

Sun Coverage

CARSON CITY – A senior correctional officer on Thursday detailed two assaults against him by inmates in the past four months -- one crushing his hand in a door and the other being doused with a prisoner’s bodily fluids.

Officer Dan Shoup told the Senate Judiciary Committee he works alone on the night shift at the psychiatric ward at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center when there should be two officers on the shift. Shoup said it isn't a safe situation.

He was one of four witnesses testifying in support of a bill to give the state prison board oversight of the staffing levels at the prison.

But Greg Cox, acting director of the state Department of Corrections, said the law already gives the prison board -- composed of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state -- the power to monitor what’s going on in the prison system.

“The board has full controls,” said Cox, who added that he twice had met with the board since taking over the top position in the last several months. And the board, he said, makes safety of the prison staff and inmates a top priority.

Cox said prison staff levels already are submitted to the Legislature.

Shoup, who has worked in the Nevada prison system for 15 years, said inmates know the prison is short of guards. Last week, one prisoner popped a locked door with a toothbrush, intending to open cells and make weapons before the incident was discovered, he said.

He said that recently a nurse at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center was assaulted by an inmate. Also, a kitchen employee at the state prison in Ely was struck with a steel plate.

Cox said these two incidents weren't the result of short staffing.

Kevin Ranft of the American Federation of Federal, State and Municipal Employees, told the committee that the perimeter at the prison is not patrolled much of the time at night.

There was testimony that 21 correctional officer positions were vacant, and nine officers were on extended leave for such things as military duty or training. That’s 30 positions out of an authorized staff of 200 at the prison south of Carson City.

The committee didn't take action on the bill.

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