More than a dozen correctional officers at Rikers Island Davoeron Complex have been injured during the course of the last week.
The injured officers sustained broken ribs, concussions among other relatively serious injuries over five attacks carried by gang members.
“The safety of those who work in our facilities is always our first priority,” Correction Department spokesman Peter Thorne said.
“Any attack is reprehensible and we are pursuing re-arrest of the individuals involved.”
The officers’ association asserted that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to end the solitary confinement would only make things worse.
“Assaults on our officers have skyrocketed up by more than 23% over last year and instead of allowing us to separate violent offenders who commit attacks like this, this administration wants to eliminate punitive segregation completely so that assaultive inmates can be emboldened to terrorize our members and non-violent inmates,” President Benny Boscio Jr. said.
