Prison safety fears as officer hospitalised after brutal bashing
Two prison officers were hospitalised and several more were injured as they tried to quell an inmate at Ravenhall, the state’s newest prison.
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Two prison officers were hospitalised and several more injured as they tried to subdue an inmate at the state’s newest prison.
A Ravenhall inmate punched a prison officer after he was issued a direction he didn’t want to comply with. He then attacked the officer while he was on the ground.
The beating was so savage the officer underwent surgery.
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A female supervisor was also thrown against a wall as she came to the aid of the officer. It is understood she was treated for severe concussion.
It took several officers to eventually restrain the man, who was an inmate inside one of the jail’s maximum-security mental health units.
WorkSafe was notified following the assault. Police are investigating.
The attack happened just days before Corrections Minister Ben Carroll toured the nearby Metropolitan Remand Centre on Wednesday where he watched a display involving a new security dog.
Since last week’s attack, officers have raised concerns about staffing levels and called for a greater rollout of batons and capsicum spray.
The 1300-bed medium-security prison, run by private company the GEO Group, also includes 75 beds for the state’s mental health prisoners.
A prison source said staff were pushing for more officers to be equipped with batons and capsicum spray, especially while working in the more volatile mental health units.
“It can take 10 minutes for them to get batons to you and by then it is all over,” a staff member told the Herald Sun.
“The place is a mess, it is really just organised chaos inside the prison.”
Prison officers who have undergone additional training do carry batons and CS spray to respond to incidents, but staff that patrol units generally do not.
Mr Carroll said the West Melbourne prison was a safe place to work and the government was undergoing a recruitment drive to attract more female officers into the profession.
“I’m very confident that the system we have running in our corrections system is doing everything it can and that there is a very high level of transparency and following that accountability,” Mr Carroll said.
“You need to be vigilant, you need to constantly keep monitoring what’s going on inside the prison.”
The government on Wednesday showcased its beefed-up security and emergency services group, which includes sniffer and security dogs.
A Corrections Victoria spokesman said violence at prison was unacceptable.
He said “select staff” in all prisons had access to extendable batons, capsicum spray and tear gas.
The performance of private prison operators were closely monitored to ensure they were meeting contractual commitments and a strict set of standards, the Corrections Victoria spokesman said.