By Lois Clermont and Joe LoTemplio
Press-Republican
DANNEMORA — The president of New York State Correctional Lieutenants believes staffing issues contributed to Saturday’s escape from Clinton Correctional Facility.
Tad A. Levac told the Press-Republican that he has been pressing the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for a year to add a field lieutenant at the Dannemora prison.
“We have a watch commander up front, but there are 3,000 inmates there, and we need a field lieutenant out back to supervise, because of the violence,” Levac said.
Officers are stationed in the towers that overlook the grounds, “but they are not all manned at midnight,” he said.
He noted that many veteran correction officers have retired in recent years around the state.
“We have lots of young officers coming in,” he said. “They need that supervision.”
He said a potential breakout was thwarted at Auburn Correctional Facility in April.
“They don’t have a field lieutenant there either,” he said angrily. “I’ve had it with DOCCS.”
Officials from DOCCS could not be reached Saturday for reaction.
‘SAFE PRISON FOREVER’
State lawmakers from the North Country were shocked to hear about the two fugitives on the lam.
“It’s like ‘Escape From Alcatraz,’” said State Sen. Betty Little, referring to a late 1970s movie starring Clint Eastwood.
Little (R-Queensbury) was on her way back from a meeting in New York City when she heard the news.
“Dannemora runs very well, and I know people don’t mind working there,” she said.
“It’s been a safe prison forever. Nobody wants to see something like this.”
Little, who serves on the Senate Committee on Crime and Corrections, said she would be talking with other committee members about the situation.
“This doesn’t sound like it happened on a whim,” she said. “They could have been planning this for a year.”
AT COMMAND CENTER
Assemblywoman Janet Duprey spent time at the State Police Command Center in Dannemora on Saturday.
“The mood is one of great concern, obviously,” she said.
“They are putting in a long, stressful day, but the No. 1 priority is to keep the community safe and get these guys back in prison.”
Duprey, who serves on the Assembly Committee on Corrections, said now is not the time to second-guess the system.
“I have a lot of confidence in the department and NYSCOPBA (New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association) to figure things out, but the focus now needs to be on finding these guys.”