By Joe LoTemplio
Press-Republican
DANNEMORA — The State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision continued to offer little information on the Clinton Correctional Facility correction officer who was placed on administrative leave Friday amidst an investigation into the escape of two inmates.
The department issued a statement Friday night saying only that a correction officer had been placed on administrative leave.
“Due to the ongoing investigation, additional information is not available at this time,” DOCCS spokeswoman Linda Foglia said in the brief media release.
They would not name the officer nor say if he or she is on paid or unpaid leave.
BREAKOUT RECAP
The Inspector General’s Office has been called in by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to conduct a thorough investigation of the escape of inmates Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 35.
The two broke out of the maximum security facility early on June 6. They exited their cells through holes cut in the walls and made their way down into the lower levels of the prison via catwalks.
From there, they crawled through a steam pipe to a manhole, broke the lock on the cover and climbed out onto Bouck Street in Dannemora.
Civilian employee Joyce Mitchell, 51, of Dickinson Center, who supervised Matt and Sweat in the prison tailor shop, has been charged with aiding the escape by allegedly bringing Matt and Sweat small tools to use.
SCOURED WOODS
Law enforcement has conducted a massive search in the North Country for the two inmates over the past two weeks but had not had any confirmed sightings as of Saturday.
For a four-day period last week, hundreds of officers scoured the woods between General LeRoy Manor Road, Route 374 and Route 3 in the towns of Dannemora and Plattsburgh in pursuit of Matt and Sweat.
At times, it appeared that they might be closing in, but the pair were not found.
The search has shifted focus to look at places elsewhere in the region, around the state and nation.
On Saturday, police were looking into possible sightings of Matt and Sweat in Steuben and Allegany counties near the New York/Pennsylvania border.
DA MUM ON CO
Teams from the Inspector General’s Office arrived at the Dannemora prison Thursday to begin conducting interviews with staff.
That state office has the power to conduct a criminal investigation, take testimony and subpoena witnesses.
Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie said his office is working closely with the Inspector General’s Office, but he would not provide any information about the guard placed on leave.
‘GOOD PROFESSIONALS’
Retired Correction Sgt. Jeff Dumas, who has been outspoken about conditions in the prison, said he hopes officers will be treated fairly in the investigation.
“These guys all work hard and are good professionals, and I hope they are all treated with respect and fairness,” he said.
Calls to the New York State Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, the correction officers union, were not returned to the Press-Republican on Saturday.
Dumas said that he understands that union representatives are present with officers when they are being interviewed by the Inspector General’s staff.