FORT MADISON, Iowa — Two staff members at Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison were injured in an assault, according to the union representing prison staff members.
According to a press release from AFSCME Council 61, two officers were attacked by a prison inmate on Monday, Sept. 23. Union officials claim that one of the officers was seriously injured in the assault.
“These two assaults are just the latest examples of how unsafe conditions in our prisons have become in this state,” Todd Copley, President of AFSCME Council 61 said in the release. “Our Correctional Officers across the state of Iowa are being asked to work under dangerous, understaffed, and under-resourced conditions, and we’re not seeing the leadership we need from the Governor’s office to address these issues.”
AFSCME claims hiring more prison staff members, updating safety equipment and implementing additional training programs can help prevent such cases in the future.
