(This article has been updated to correct an inaccuracy and add new information.)
Two correctional officers were injured, one seriously, in a prisoner attack at the Iowa State Penitentiary, the union representing them says.
The Iowa Department of Corrections neither confirmed nor denied the attack, saying, "The Iowa Department of Corrections has been made aware of a statement made by AFSCME in regards to an assault at Iowa State Penitentiary. While we don't comment on open investigations, the safety of our correctional officers and inmates is of top importance. We are committed to implementing best practices in security, training, and compliance to create an environment where all individuals can feel safe."
The release from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 61 said the two correctional officers were “violently attacked by an inmate during a routine procedure” Monday and that at least one of the officers had to be transported to a hospital by ambulance.
It provided no further details on the attack and did not name the guards.
The issue of corrections officer safety has been a subject of debate between the state and the union since at least 2021, when a two staff members were killed in an attack at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Correctional officer Robert McFarland, 46, and a registered nurse, Lorena Schulte, 50 , were beaten to death by a pair of hammer-wielding inmates during an escape attempt in the prison's infirmary.
Inmates Michael Dutcher and Thomas Woodard Jr. both pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and are serving life sentences.
The families of McFarland and Schulte have sued the state, alleging the pair were left vulnerable by lapses in security at the prison. The state's oldest, it opened in 1875.
Other guards have been attacked there , and the state has converted the prison to medium security from high security. The Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison is now the state's sole maximum-security facility.
A state-funded, third-party review following the 2021 attack at Anamosa found that the Department of Corrections needed more staff, couldn't fill the open positions it had and was slow to address the problems exposed by the killings .
In its news release, AFSCME Council 61 President Todd Copley criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds, saying she had failed to provide the resources needed to ensure the guards' safety.
“These two assaults are just the latest examples of how unsafe conditions in our prisons have become in this state,” said Copley. “Our Correctional Officers across the state of Iowa are being asked to work under dangerous, understaffed, and under-resourced conditions, and we’re not seeing the leadership we need from the Governor’s office to address these issues.”
Mike Mauro, a spokesperson for Reynolds, said that ensuring a safe and secure environment at Iowa correctional facilities is a top priority for the governor.
"In 2021, the Iowa Department of Corrections commissioned a comprehensive review of prison safety and security by an independent third party and since then has implemented a number of safety and security improvements to include a new Director of Prisoner Operations, technology improvements, 85 new positions, K-9 teams, and additional security training," Mauro said. "The Iowa Department of Corrections continuously assesses and upgrades security protocols —including following an investigation of any security incident — to effectively manage risk within their facilities."
The Department of Corrections' emailed response said all correctional staff "undergo extensive training that equips them to handle challenging situations, de-escalate conflicts, and ensure the safety of themselves and inmates in their care." It added that it has a compliance office that conducts "regular security checks, security audits of each prison, and vulnerability assessments," and that "we continuously assess and upgrade our security protocols, including surveillance technology and staffing levels, to effectively manage risks within our facilities."
Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com .
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Inmate attack leaves guards injured at Iowa State Penitentiary, union says
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