August 8, 2024 – Chippewa Correctional Facility – KYI Special Edition Crisis Report
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The Corrections Officers working at the Chippewa Correctional Facility, a multi-level state prison, are suffering badly from the impacts of a severe staffing crisis. The vacancy rate for officers is now up to a dangerous 27%. This results in constant mandatory overtime and unsafe working conditions. Officers are forced to work 16 hour shifts multiple times per week, frequently on back-to-back days with no relief in sight. Every day, the prison runs with far less officers than is required. Officers are exhausted and are missing time with their families, they need help from Michigan’s elected officials to find solutions to the years long staffing crisis.
It is time for the public and our elected officials to be made aware of what is really happening in Michigan’s state prison system. This series of reports will pull back the curtain for everyone to have a glimpse of what it’s like to work in these short-staffed prisons.
From July 1 through July 31, 2024, the officers worked 1,948 overtime shifts. Of those, 1,168 were mandatory overtime, which means the officers were forced to do a 16 hour shift that day. There were 248 violations of the MDOC’s 32-hour rule, which is a policy designed to protect officers from excessive overtime. These officers need immediate relief.
The following is a summary of events just from July 1 through July 31, 2024, that occurred at the multi-level Chippewa Correctional Facility:
7-3-24 – Officers had to use tear gas to control a disruptive prisoner in a segregation unit. The prisoner assaulted one of the officers with a weapon during the incident.
7-4-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the Level 4 yard.
7-4-24 – Officers broke up 3 prisoner fights on the Level 4 yard involving 6 prisoners. Tasers and tear gas were used to stop the fights. An officer was assaulted by one of the prisoners that was being restrained. The Level 4 unit was placed on lockdown status due to the multiple fights.
7-5-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in the Level 4 housing unit.
7-6-24 – Officers broke up 3 prisoners fighting in a Level 2 housing unit. While an officer was attempting to restrain one of the prisoners, another prisoner assaulted the officer by pushing her back and then began assaulting the prisoner who was being restrained.
7-6-24 – An officer was punched in the face several times by a prisoner in a Level 2 housing unit. The officer suffered a fractured orbital bone in his face.
7-7-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting with weapons in a Level 2 housing unit. Tasers and tear gas were used to stop the fight.
7-9-24 – An officer was assaulted when a prisoner spit in his face after being restrained for refusing a shakedown. The prisoner had to be placed in a restraint chair to be controlled.
7-12-24 – Officers broke up 4 prisoners fighting with weapons in a Level 2 housing unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight.
7-13-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting with weapons in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-14-24 – An officer was assaulted by a prisoner that was being restrained in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-14-24 – A disruptive prisoner charged at officers in a Level 2 housing unit. A taser and restraint chair were used to subdue the prisoner.
7-15-24 – Officers broke up 3 prisoners fighting in a Level 4 housing unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight.
7-15-24 – Officers broke up 3 prisoners fighting in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-16-24 – An officer was assaulted by a prisoner that was being taken to segregation. A restraint chair was needed to control the prisoner.
7-17-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in a Level 2 housing unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight
7-20-24 – A disruptive prisoner exited a Level 2 housing unit going towards the security fence. Officers utilized a restraint chair to control the prisoner.
7-20-24 – A disruptive prisoner in a Level 2 housing unit assaulted multiple officers while being restrained. A restraint chair was used to control the prisoner.
7-22-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in a Level 4 housing unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight.
7-21-24 – A disruptive prisoner punched a hole in the ceiling of a holding cell unit and climbed into the ceiling. Officers formed a cell extraction squad and used pepper ball launcher to secure the prisoner.
7-23-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in a Level 4 unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight.
7-24-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in a Level 2 unit. Tasers were used to stop the fight.
7-25-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in a Level 2 unit.
7-27-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in the Level 4 housing unit.
7-27-24 – 2 prisoners were found in possession of weapons in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-27-24 – A prisoner assaulted another prisoner in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-27-24 – Officers restrained a disruptive prisoner who punched a hole in the glass inside of a Level 2 housing unit.
7-28-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the Level 2 yard.
7-29-24 – Officers restrained 3 prisoners that assaulted another prisoner with weapons in a Level 2 housing unit.
7-30-24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting with weapons in the Level 4 housing unit.
7-30-24 – Officers restrained a prisoner who assaulted another prisoner in a Level 2 housing unit.