Iowa Democrats and union leaders call for increased protections following Fort Madison prison attack

Democratic lawmakers and a public sector union are calling for increased protections and wages for correctional officers following a serious attack at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison last week.

At a press conference at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday, AFSCME Council 61 President Todd Copley said two officers were attacked last Monday by an inmate who had ripped a metal leg off of a desk in his cell.

"He took an eight and a half inch piece of metal, which was the leg to this desk, and used it and attempted to stab one officer 11 times," he said.

One correctional officer had minor injuries, but the other one was "violently struck in the face, causing multiple facial fractures that hopefully won't cause permanent damage." Copley said.

In the wake of the attack, Copley said the union is calling on Gov. Kim Reynolds and state lawmakers to improve working conditions and pay.

"Nobody wants to get attacked for $24 an hour," he said. "There was a time when a correctional officer position was honorable. It still is. It's just not compensated the way it should be."

Since the beginning of this year, Copley said there have been more than 150 assaults on correctional officers in Iowa, including another incident that happened after the attack in Fort Madison last Monday.

He said one major issue is that Iowa correctional officers have one of the lowest starting wages in the Midwest, even after the Iowa lawmakers approved an starting wage increase last session.

"It was raised $5 an hour by the governor in her last budget. It did not recognize retention whatsoever. There was never any offers for retention. It was to get people in the door," Copley said.

At the press conference, Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, said lawmakers need to act "immediately" to improve safety at Iowa's prisons.

"These assaults are not isolated incidents. They are the result of persistent understaffing and inadequate resources," he said.

A statement released by Reynolds' office Thursday morning said she "has worked diligently with the Iowa Department of Corrections to improve safety and security at our state prisons."

It said Reynolds "implemented a number of safety and security improvements" to state prisons in 2021 and that the $20.5 million increase to the Iowa Department of Correction's budget she approved last year helped raise starting wages and drop vacancy rates last month for correctional officers to "the lowest rate it has been in two years."

Growing safety concerns in Iowa prisons

It also said the Department of Corrections is investigating the incident from last week.

"Moving forward, the Iowa Department of Corrections is committed to analyzing and assessing its security protocols and making upgrades where necessary. The department also investigates all security incidents to identify potential risks in facility operations and improve security protocols to manage risk and increase safety among staff and prisoners," it said.

The safety of state prison staff has been growing concern in Iowa since a 2021 incident at the Anamosa State Penitentiary where two inmates killed correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte during an escape attempt.

Inmates Michael Dutcher and Thomas Woodard were both sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison for the murders.

Iowa's Republican-led Legislature under Reynolds passed a controversial collective bargaining law in 2017 that prohibited the state's 180,000 public employees from negotiating over issues like health insurance and extra pay. Public workers were already barred from striking under a previous provision.

Copley called on lawmakers to restore public employees' bargaining rights on Thursday.

"The lack of collective bargaining rights is putting workers' safety at risk," he said. "When you strip workers of their right to advocate for themselves, you put their lives on the line."

In a statement issued Thursday, the Iowa Department of Corrections said it is "committed to fostering an environment of open communication and collaboration with its employees, including our union partners."

"Director Beth Skinner has established regular meetings with the Union President aimed at addressing issues and enhancing workplace conditions. These discussions reflect the DOC’s dedication to transparency and its commitment to valuing employee input," it said.