LEE COUNTY, Iowa — The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 61 said there needs to be change after it claims an inmate assaulted two correctional officers Monday at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.
AFSCME Council 61, who represent some correctional officers, is calling on the state to hire more staff, provide updated safety equipment and better training programs.
"The governor brags about having a $4 billion surplus in money," said union president Todd Copley. "But on the flip side of that, at what cost? People getting hurt, people getting underpaid, having to work egregious amounts of overtime. You get what you pay for."
Gov. Kim Reynolds' office sent Local 5 News a response to AFSCME's claims:
"Ensuring a safe and secure environment at Iowa correctional facilities is a top priority for Governor Reynolds. In 2021, the Iowa Department of Corrections commissioned a comprehensive review of prison safety and security by an independent third party and since then has implemented a number of safety and security improvements to include a new Director of Prisoner Operations, technology improvements, 85 new positions, K-9 teams and additional security training. The Iowa Department of Corrections continuously assesses and upgrades security protocols – including following an investigation of any security incident – to effectively manage risk within their facilities."
Without action, AFSCME Council 61 warns more assaults or fatalities could be inevitable at state prisons.
"Making a phone call to peoples' families, that's gotta be the hardest thing in the world to do," Copley said. "That was what scared me more than anything, was just God I hope nobody got hurt."
The Iowa Department of Corrections told Local 5 it can't comment on open investigations, but is "committed to implementing best practices in security, training and compliance to create an environment where all individuals can feel safe."