Inmate argument over TV use prompts jail lockdown

By Darryl Swan  

The South County Spotlight, Feb 20, 2008, p 1 & 2

(www.spotlightnews.net, Story ID=120355103402597400)

 

Police swarm to jail from all over county to resolve incident before it can escalate

Darryl Swan / The South County Spotlight

Undersheriff Gerry Simmons with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office briefs members of the media outside the Columbia County Jail, where an argument broke out Wednesday afternoon between two inmates over television use. Police were summoned from all over the county to help control the situation as more inmates refused to follow orders from corrections staff and riot fears escalated.

 

Police agencies and medical teams swarmed on the Columbia County Jail under fears a riot would break out following an argument that started between at least two inmates over the use of a television.

Twenty-four inmates are housed in the section of the jail where the argument began.

Undersheriff Gerry Simmons with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said there was no physical altercation between the inmates, all of whom were housed in a section of the jail reserved for non-violent offenders.

Simmons said the argument started as the inmates were preparing to return to their cells after taking a break in a communal area.

There are 95 inmates total housed in the jail.

Simmons said he did not know what television show the inmates were arguing over.

As the argument intensified between a couple inmates, the other inmates in the area refused direction from jail deputies to return to their cells, prompting a summons for additional law enforcement assistance at around 12:45 p.m., including a call placed to the St. Helens technical assault team.

Simmons said the high-volume police response was intended to intimidate the inmates back into their cells before a more serious altercation could evolve.

“We did not know how bad it was going to be, how it was going to escalate,” Simmons said. "It's a lot better to have a show of force."

It took around 45 minutes to an hour before the inmates, which consisted of federal and state prisoners, would return to their cells.

The federal inmates include Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Marshall’s Service prisoners temporarily held at the jail as a part of an agreement the county has with those agencies.

No crimes occurred during the argument, Simmons said, adding that the inmates will lose some privileges as a result of the incident.