August 16, 2024 – G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility – KYI Special Edition Crisis Report

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The Corrections Officers working at the G. Robert Cotton 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 36.3%. This results in constant mandatory 16-hour shifts and violations of the Department’s overtime rules. Officers are forced to work double shifts multiple times per week and frequently on back-to-back days with no relief in sight. Every day, the prison runs with far less officers than is required, resulting in prisoner activities being limited or canceled. This in turn leads to disturbances and assaults on the officers when prisoners get frustrated.

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 short-staffed prisons. 

From July 1 through July 31, 2024, there were 1,526 corrections officer overtime shifts. 745 of those overtime shifts were mandatory overtime, and most of the rest worked voluntarily overtime to avoid mandatory overtime. There were 256 violations of the MDOC’s 32-hour rule, which is a policy designed to protect officers from excessive overtime. During this time there were also 709 “closed” officer positions across all three shifts. A closed officer position means that there wasn’t an officer stationed at a required position inside the prison.

The following is a summary of events just from July 1 through July 31, 2024, that occurred at the multi-level G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility:

7/6/24 – Officers responded to a prisoner being assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/8/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in level 4 housing unit.

7/9/24 – A prisoner assaulted an officer on the yard.

7/9/24 – Dangerous contraband was discovered during a search.

7/10/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in level 1 housing unit.

7/10/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting in level 4 housing unit.

7/10/24 – Officers responded to a prisoner being assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/11/24 – Dangerous contraband was discovered during a search.

7/11/24 – A weapon was discovered during a search.

7/11/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard. The attacker was placed in soft restraints due to threatening staff.

7/12/24 – J-Unit level 4 was placed on lock down due to a fight and possession of a weapon.

7/12/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/12/24 – There was a sexual misconduct.

7/15/24 – Officer broke up 2 prisoners fighting in J-Unit level 4 housing unit.

7/15/24 – A cell phone was discovered during a search.

7/15/24 – 2 prisoners assaulted another prisoner on the yard.

7/16/24 – A prisoner assaulted another prisoner on the yard resulting in serious physical injury.

7/16/24 – A second prisoner assaulted another prisoner on the yard resulting in serious physical injury.

7/16/24 – A third prisoner assaulted another prisoner on the yard resulting in serious physical injury.

7/16/24 – F unit was searched and cleared.

7/17/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/17/24 – A prisoner threatened an officer.

7/17/24 – A prisoner assaulted an officer on the yard.

7/17/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/17/24 – A second prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/18/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/18/24 – There was an electric fire in TE Unit 1 housing unit.

7/19/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/20/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/20/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/20/24 – Dangerous contraband was discovered during a search.

7/22/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/22/24 – Officers broke up 2 more prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/22/24 – A prisoner was assaulted by another prisoner on the yard.

7/24/24 – 4 extra officers were needed due to a prisoner who swallowed numerous medications and then covered his window. A cell rush squad was assembled to move the prisoner.

7/25/24 – A prisoner covered his window with his mattress and was unresponsive.

7/25/24 – Dangerous contraband was discovered during a search.

7/26/24 – A prisoner threatened an officer.

7/26/24 – A prisoner assaulted an officer on the yard.

7/26/24 – A weapon was discovered during a search.

7/27/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/28/24 – A weapon was discovered during a search.

7/28/24 – A prisoner assaulted an officer on the yard.

7/31/24 – A weapon was discovered during a search.

7/31/24 – A prisoner was caught smuggling.

7/31/24 – Officers broke up 2 prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/31/24 – Officers broke up 2 more prisoners fighting on the yard.

7/31/24 – Officers responded to a third fight on the yard, with 2 more prisoners fighting.

https://www.mco-seiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/KYI-Special-Edition-8.16.24-JCF.pdf