Buffalo Ledger

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C, Elma) has joined several legislative colleagues, local law enforcement members, and the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) in urging Governor Hochul to issue an executive order suspending full-contact visitation in state prisons. This call comes in response to a series of life-threatening incidents where correctional officers and staff were exposed to suspected fentanyl and other unknown drugs during interactions with inmates.

In a letter addressed to the Governor, legislators highlighted three recent instances within the last ten days where correctional officers and sergeants required emergency hospital care after coming into contact with unknown substances while attending to inmates. These incidents occurred on August 4 and 13 at Collins Correctional Facility and on August 8 at Wyoming Correctional Facility.

“Recent incidents at Collins Correctional Facility and elsewhere serve as reminders of the dangers Correctional Officers and other staff members face every day,” Gallivan stated. “We should all be concerned about the safety of the men and women who work in our prisons, and in the communities where they are located. The Governor and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision must take immediate action to ensure the safety of our correction officers and staff.”

Leaders from NYSCOPBA have expressed that their members are reaching a breaking point due to increased violence in prisons, chronic understaffing leading to frequent mandatory overtime, and now concerns over accidental exposure to lethal drugs while on duty. These stresses are affecting families and impacting officers' health.

“Our members walk inside the walls and fences every day not knowing if they will make it back to their families due to ongoing violence, daily mandatory overtime—upwards of 24-hour shifts—and now they are faced with fellow Officers and Sergeants going to the hospital every other day for doing their job and being exposed to unknown substances,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “They are at the breaking point and need the Governor to step in immediately to address this issue. There are body scanners placed in all facilities statewide just to take up space apparently; they cannot effectuate any change when they are not being used on visitors.”

Senator Gallivan is currently serving as the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime, and Correction. He is also a former State Trooper and Sheriff of Erie County.