New York Prison Flies State Flag Upside Down in Protest

A New York State flag was spotted flying upside down outside a prison in Washington County and it definitely caught the eye of many. Who flew it that way and what is the reason behind it?

Many of the New York State Correctional Officer contacts we spoke to did not want to comment based on the fear of retribution, but WNYT (a television station in Albany) reported on the story involving the sighting at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility in the hamlet of Comstock, New York. The move means that the 650 employees working there will now be moved to other facilities and the inmates would be transferred as well.

This move comes in the midst of a major recruitment effort on the part of both The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). Officials from both organizations have unveiled a plan they came up with called the "CNY 200 Initiative."

According to the story reported on by WNYT, the reason for the gesture could be one of protest and distress. One of the Executive Vice Presidents of NYSCOPBA is Matt Keough. He tells WNYT,

It could be a signal from the staff that they feel like they’re under attack from their own employer…a sentiment that could be echoed by 17,000 members of NYSCOPBA. Overworked and under appreciated.

An official with DOCCS made a comment as well that was one of disappointment stating, "if a staff person or volunteer at the facility is found responsible, there would be consequences."

The prison in Washington County is slated to close in November of this year and the state budgeted for the closure of four more this year. The fate of Mohawk Valley region prisons relies on the ability for the department to recruit more Correctional Officers and staff. New York State DOCCS Commissioner Dan Martuscello tells WIBX,

Really what was behind that [closures] is the critical staffing shortage that we've been experiencing, which really is the national problem. I'm part of the national conversation, bringing awareness and recruitment. Also, side by side we do have excess capacity. Our population is down 54% from its high in 1999. So while staffing is driving this, we have the ability to downsize because the population has decreased.

We can only hope the numbers of employees go up so local prisons don't get closed down, taking employees and tax payers with them. If you're interested in pursuing a career in corrections you can visit https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/6Id6LXz.