Vermont starts prison lockdowns, searches
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Springfield prison was the first prison in Vermont to lock down under the new state policy. FILE / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By WILSON RING The Associated Press - Published: January 26, 2006
MONTPELIER — A new state policy calls for corrections officers to periodically lock down and search each of the state's prisons, as well as every inmate.
The first of those prison lockdowns began Tuesday at the Springfield prison, according to Corrections Commissioner Rob Hofmann.
All inmates were locked in their cells and all volunteer activities and most extra activities were suspended for the duration of the search, which should take two or three days, he said.
"We're searching for, in no particular order, weapons, drugs, escape tools, tobacco, self-harm implements for the mentally ill inmates who cut themselves severely," Hofmann said Wednesday before the Legislature's Joint Corrections Oversight Committee.
Hofmann said the Springfield lockdown was prompted by specific information, but he would not say what that information was.
Future lockdowns and searches will be carried out periodically, but they will not be announced beforehand.
Hofmann said that in 2005 there were no major security problems at any of Vermont's prisons.
"They are prison facilities," the commissioner said in an interview. "This is Vermont, but this is something we can't not take seriously. Just because we've had a good run, we have to rededicate ourselves to our mission of protecting Vermonters."
The legislative committee invited him to testify about early-release programs, offender work programs and out-of-state placements.
Hofmann brought up the security issue without being asked.
"If we had a breach, that would totally engulf us and that's all we'd be talking about," he said.
While most prison activities will be suspended during the lockdowns, Hofmann said prearranged activities such as out-of-prison dental or medical appointments would still be kept.
Hofmann said the lockdown in Springfield was the first prison-wide lockdown during his 11 months as commissioner; staff had told him it was the first one in memory.
He didn't say whether any significant contraband was discovered during the Springfield search.
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