NEW YORK (PIX11) — A correction officer at Rikers Island suffered a broken cheekbone and needed 17 stitches after an attack at the jail facility on Wednesday morning, officials said.
A detainee repeatedly struck the officer in the face around 5:20 a.m. at the Anna M. Kross Center, according to the Department of Correction. The officer was treated at a hospital.
“Our officers work tirelessly every day to keep individuals in our care safe, and any act of violence towards anyone who works for the department will never be tolerated,” DOC Deputy Commissioner of Public Information James Boyd said. “This heinous attack was completely unprovoked and this individual was immediately rearrested.”
The officer was just doing his job when he was attacked, Correction Officer Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio said. He said detainees will attack officers “because they know there are no meaningful consequences for their violent crimes committed in jail.”
“Our officers are sick and tired of putting themselves in harm’s way every day while our elected officials do absolutely nothing to bolster the safety of our jails,” Boscio said. “This is precisely why approximately 100 officers are resigning and retiring early every month.”
