Officers Conduct Week Long Search That Recovers Weapons From Dorms and Inmates     Â
Union News Release
OGDENSBURG, NY – Officers recovered over 50 make-shift weapons from Riverview Correctional Facility after officers conducted a week long search last month at the medium security correctional facility after there was an attempted inmate slashing at the prison.
On Tuesday, February, 14 an officer began to search inmate’s cubes after an attempted slashing of an inmate by another inmate. Initially, the officer began to search the common areas of the dorms and found multiple weapons that were hidden inside the walls that separated the inmate cubes. The weapons were hidden up inside the walls from the bottom of the dorm floors.
After recovering the first set of make-shift weapons, staff began to search the facility dorms, inmate living cubes and common areas of the dorms. In all, staff recovered 57 make shift weapons. The weapons consisted of sharpened tooth brushes, plexiglass sharpened on one end, razor blades and metal type cutting weapons.
The search concluded on Tuesday, February 21. The weapons were all seized as evidence.
Several inmates were also found to have weapons hidden on their bodies during the searches.   The weapons were seized from the inmates and they face disciplinary charges as a result.
“I would like to commend all staff at Riverview for their diligence in locating these weapons at the facility. Initially,  the investigation began as a result of an inmate on inmate fight. An alert officer took the initiative to begin searching the common areas of the dorms and located several weapons stuffed up inside the divider walls. From there,  over the next several days,  staff searched and recovered over 50 make-shift weapons. Those weapons,  if not discovered by alert staff, could easily have been used against them or other inmates.  Make-shift weapons will always be an issue in our prisons, but staff put a serious dent in the amount of weapons that exist at Riverview and as a result of their dedication the facility is much safer today.   – said, John Roberts NYSCOPBA Northern Region Vice President.