The CT Department of Corrections failure to properly plan for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed all of its employees, hazardous duty and non-hazardous duty, to illness, but also created volatile conditions within the state prison system.

Unions representing front-line prison employees and their members have pushed to reduce risk and better protect workers. While some progress has been made, there continue to be issues. We are demanding masks, and at last some have arrived. We are demanding safe housing for staff, and at last some opportunities are occurring.

But with more than 110 inmates and staff testing positive in our facilities – a number that is growing daily – agency leadership needs to up and do more. Much more.

We therefore demand your agency take immediate action on the following:

• Quarantine all symptomatic cases without waiting for tests in Northern CI, except those in York CI, Manson CI & Garner CI.

• Distribute PPE immediately including N95 grade masks and other equipment to ALL staff.

• Coordinate any movement of inmates between or within facilities with frontline medical and custodial staff to assure proper safety protocols.

• Reduce needed staff to a minimum – if it’s good enough for weekends, it is good enough for weekdays during the crisis.

• Remove all non-hazardous duty staff from facilities and allow them to telecommute.

The agency's lack of planning and preparation has made this crisis worse. We expect immediate follow-through on the steps recommended above. Thank you,