It's all that and a bag of chips: two New York corrections officers model themselves after third-grade boys -- male prison guards getting into a serious food fight over a bag of chips. The guards' brawl had to be broken up by an inmate who was injured -- so count tax dollars for the medical patch-up and tooth the inmate lost in the brawl.
The Erie County corrections officers are suspended -- of course, with pay -- after what's been called an "embarrassment" by representative, Undersheriff Wipperman. Corrections Officers Lawrence Mule, a 26-year member of the force and James Conlin, a 29-years member of the force were involved. Wipperman would only say the fight happened over food dissemination.
"Quite frankly I don't care if it was a bag of chips, a candy bar, romaine noodles. This conduct should never of happened and will never be tolerated. Never," an angry Wipperman said.
Officially the prison will only confirm that the inmate required medical attention: prison rep Wipperman says privacy laws prevent him from disclosing the prison inmate's injuries. Convenient, particularly considering that prison guard employees are responsible for the injuries. That personal privacy seems to be serving quite well to protect the prison also.
Yeah, that and the idea that it's always assuring to the public to know that, in addition to tax dollars already allocated to care of prison inmates, the actions of corrections officers who are paid to ensure the safety of inmates are instead causing harm -- while on the job. Basically the public isn't too keen on tax money going toward inmates who need to be patched up -- specifically because of officers charged with ensuring their safety.
Apparently someone forgot to convey to prison personnel the idea that "loose lips sink ships": while the prison's rep is claiming that medical info on the hurt inmate can't be released, because of laws and privacy, somehow The Buffalo News pried loose some info from chatty prison personnel: The Buffalo News reported the inmate, involved in separating the fighting guards, "lost" a tooth in the scuffle. Or had it knocked out. Whatever the case, it's no longer in his mouth -- and tax dollars are paying for it.
As an aside, can anyone say "lawsuit waiting to happen," after an inmate gets injured at the hands of fighting prison guards?
Suspended with pay. It all makes perfect sense: prison guards injure a person they're paid to protect, cause tax dollars to be required in medical attention for the person to whom they caused injury, then officers continue to get paid even while not working. Sounds like a win-win-win situation.
The prison says the inmate ended up between the two, unarmed guards because he didn't want either corrections officer to get fired. Great to know that an inmate, who could've been dangerous to the safety of the officers or even the entire prison, loose and unattended. To top off matters, the guards were totally unarmed in addition to not paying attention -- so obviously couldn't have done much to protect themselves, or anyone else, if they'd had to.
The prison won't confirm a Buffalo News report that the April 21 argument and physical fight all began over a bag of chips. Strangely, a message with the officers' union -- which has apparently worked out that the guards who are on suspension but receiving full pay -- wasn't yet returned for comment.