On Thursday, August 11, 2016, a Correctional Officer was assaulted at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, according to Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware.
Klopp said an inmate, originally sentenced to death, was showering when suddenly, he reached through the bars and struck the officer in the face. The assault required the officer to seek medical attention at a local hospital, for minor injuries.
Klopp released a statment on his Facebook page that reads as follows:
“This criminal conduct on the part of the inmate is directly related to the ongoing concerns we have regarding the operation of our prisons. We have, for years, been telling the Governor, the General Assembly and all who would listen we are under-staffed. The use of excessive, forced overtime has been the response of our elected leaders. Rather than provide adequate staffing, leadership in our State simply holds officers over for double shifts. The result is an overworked, fatigued, and vulnerable staff. We were blessed that this incident was not worse. But I fear this is just the tip of an iceberg. With continued ignoring of the problems, they only get worse. This assault was not the first one that occurred this year, and unless the state addresses our concerns for safety, it will not be the last. We – as professional Correctional Officers – are left without the staff and resources to insure the safety of our members, the inmates and society at large. Something must be done before serious injury or death occurs”,
