Holy sh$%!!

As some of you hopefully remember, I have mentioned in here before how I used to be an Officer for the State Corrections system here in AZ, before I went back to college.

I started my career at the AZ Prison Complex Lewis.

Well, it seems they have some kind of hostage situation occuring there right now, and everybody I know couldn't be contacted earlier, as they are probably over there dealing with the situation. Calling to the complex directly only confirmed what I already heard on the news, but they couldn't divulge details, at least over the phone, even though the person on the other line still remembered me.

http://abc15.com/news/index.asp?did=6911

I just figured I'd share, as I am supremely worried about this situation, even though they (the Dept.) might downplay the situation a bit.

The tower that the Officers (NOT "guards") are being held hostage is SUPPOSED to be the most secure part of the yard. This is because it has the controls that control the access gates in and out of the main yard (they can be bypassed manually), but most importantly, that tower has the weapons that are normally used to maintain armed watch over the yard. This includes an AR-15 with extra ammo, a Remington pump-action shotgun with bird and buckshot ammo, 37mm Grenade Launcher with various gas grenade ammo, and hand-held grenades from smoke to tear-gas, to flash-bangs (concussion).

Basically, the two inmates that are in there are as armed as anybody can get in the prison.

Thing is, if I was still an Officer there, I might've been the one in that tower, as I used to be posted in there a lot, although I cannot imagine myself fucking-up enough to allow this kind of situation to happen.

What just PISSES me off the most, is that there's these Officers that are on the brink of mortality, and local TV news shows these convicts' family-members bitching about "what will happen to him?"; "I don't like how they're handling this situation!"

Maybe they should've thought of that before they became the fucking criminals that they are...:banghead:

If you are spiritual, please wish the two Officers your prayers, and if you're not, please wish them well.

That's awful :(

I hope everything turns out ok. If these crooks have any sense they wont harm anyone...

Holy shit indeed...

Time to send a special team for an incursion maybe underground through the basement.

Don't even think of fucking joking about this Darrell.

Time to send a special team for an incursion maybe underground through the basement.
No, no basement. :(

Thing is, this is a hardened structure, complete with blast-proof glass as windows, and the only access from inside to upper tower is through a winding metal staircase going straight up.

It's also got a view of the whole yard, where nobody can sneak up on it.

I seriously don't know what's going to happen, as we are trained to NEVER negotiate with inmates. We were told that it is better to watch a friend get killed, than to let the convict have his way, and get even more officers hurt, including you.

Basically, the only way I see out of this is if the negotiators wear the convicts down, and talk them out of there. Any other alternatives leads to the Officers being harmed :(.

No, no basement. :(

Thing is, this is a hardened structure, complete with blast-proof glass as windows, and the only access from inside to upper tower is through a winding metal staircase going straight up.

It's also got a view of the whole yard, where nobody can sneak up on it.

I seriously don't know what's going to happen, as we are trained to NEVER negotiate with inmates. We were told that it is better to watch a friend get killed, than to let the convict have his way, and get even more officers hurt, including you.

Basically, the only way I see out of this is if the negotiators wear the convicts down, and talk them out of there. Any other alternatives leads to the Officers being harmed :(.

Damn man, that is the problem with prisons. They don't plan for this stuff they should always have an alternate entrance for times like that. It's a shame some innocent guards may be killed or harmed, thats a sad deal man :(

:( :sadwavey:

Glad it's not you in there, keep us informed.

Whos out there, the Corrections SWAT, County SWAT or (hopefully) HRT?

I didnt read the links, no time.

Nasty situation going on there. I hope the officers come out of this unscathed. Whoever is doing the negotiations better be damn good to talk those criminals down. Its in everyones best interest that everyone walks away safe and sound.

There is no way those criminals will get anywhere or get anything. I can only imagine how big of a screw up had to occur to for this whole situation to occur.

The two captive guards, one of them a woman, have been allowed to speak with negotiators, prison officials said early Monday.
How fucking sexist.. as if we should feel more sad because theres a women up there? As if she can't handle herself like all the other officers?

Hope everything works out man, keep us updated.

:shakehead

I can only imagine how big of a screw up had to occur to for this whole situation to occur.
I got the inside scoop this morning...the brass of the unit fucked up ROYALLY...http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/disappointed.gif

The Officer in charge of the kitchen got assaulted by two of his kitchen-worker inmates, and one of them put on his uniform, and took his keys.

It's SOP to do regular Officer checks by radio, so when the kitchen Officer did not reply, they sent ONE Officer to check on him, instead of initiating an IMS (Incident Management System) which is THE procedure to do in this situation.

The IMS will then scramble a pre-determined team of Officers to check on the non-responsive Officer(s).

Instead, they sent one Officer to casually check in on him. He got assaulted too.

Now, they have TWO sets of uniforms to put on, instead of one. Oh, did I mention they also have two sets of keys...http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/disappointed.gif

Anyhow, they got out of the kitchen with their new outfits, and walked right up to the well-armed tower, where a green Officer that had only been at the unit for a MONTH was in charge of the tower.

So, the Officer, just simply seeing the uniforms, buzzed them in to the tower.

Let me tell why that is a monumental mistake for the brass. As the tower Officer, you basically run the yard. You control the main access gates to the main yard. You ensure the safety of the Officers on the yard, as you are the main eyes watching over the yard, and have the weaponry to ensure that they stay safe.

You do NOT leave TWO green Officers in there. Both the Officers taken hostage are green.

When I was training for the tower, I was never with an Officer that hadn't been at the tower at for at least a year.

You're supposed to put Officers in there that know each Officer on the yard on sight, and possibly even the inmates. If you do not know them, or if they're from a different unit and you can't identify them, you can send the second tower Officer downstairs to check their IDs through the pass-through (metal receptacle where you can pass items to the tower without going inside).

Somebody's head is going to ROLL, and roll HARD.

How fucking sexist.. as if we should feel more sad because theres a women up there? As if she can't handle herself like all the other officers?

uhmmm...actually I dont think that was implied at all...I believe he was simply stating that one of the guards was a woman; not sure how that is sexist, but hey, there are also a lot of things I dont really understand.

That's a hell of a situation man, I hope everything turns out ok. As has already been said, make sure you let us know how things are going.

You picked a good time to go back to school, it seems. :eek:

Best wishes for those in there!

Zebrathree, why on God's green Earth would you want HRT there? They'll kill the whole fucking lot of 'em. On second thought, they may actually need some cowboys like that over there.

Well it would be better than sending in the Army.

Does the prision have a SWAT team carrnutt? If so, they SHOULD have a plan for this. Though it does sound difficult.

If not, someone is going to be in a fair bit of shit.

I hope things work out okay for all concerned.
I am sure they have sophisticated hostage negitiations underway.
Thay being said, and I do not want to seem harsh, but there is no negitiation with incorrigable criminals, assuming that is what these prisioners are.
Obviously it only gives others ideas.
Hopefully, there will be a way to kill the prisioners and save the guards, if one wishes to prevent a future occurance.
However, if I were one of the guards being held, I may not feel this way.

What are the convicts' demands? Anyone know

Does the prision have a SWAT team carrnutt? If so, they SHOULD have a plan for this. Though it does sound difficult.
TSU = Tactical Support Unit

There are plans in place, but they are mostly how to keep the rest of the yard from blowing up, as that is the priority.

As far as getting them out, like I said, it is damn nigh impossible to do it without some kind of cooperation (or fuck-up) from the convicts, unless the green Officers inside do something imaginative and effective.

The only infiltrating they'll be able to do is psychological.

BTW, they're on their 40th hour on the standoff. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/disappointed.gif

Also, here's an article about the facility, with an image of how the tower looks like: http://www.adc.state.az.us/pio/CorrectionalNews.htm

http://www.adc.state.az.us/images4/CorrNews2.jpg

The idea is that the tower is a stronghold, so that if for some reason the inmates go off in the main yard, officers can then seek safety in the tower, which has that fenced-in spline that leads to the also hardened main building, so Officers can get out to the main in relative safety.

Well in that the case the only thing I can see to do is to wear them out, like you said.

Everybody needs to eat sometime.

This might be going into sensitive territory, but are the tower windows small arms proof?

oooh shit. i hope no one gets hurt and this ends peacefully

time to get a sniper in there

This might be going into sensitive territory, but are the tower windows small arms proof?

Yes, unfortunately, at least in this case.

Here's the latest on it, as the standoff continues: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0120hostage20.html

It seems the Department has their spin hard at work on this...:rolleyes:

Fuck me, what a fucking nightmare scenario.

Fuck me, what a fucking nightmare scenario.

EXACTLY. This is why the plan is mostly for PREVENTING this exact kind of shit, as most people with half-a-mind know, the only plan when this sit happens is to PRAY.

I'll remember to pray for them.(All of them) Those inmates are douchebags, butthey'll need some Jesus when they finally give up too. I hope those guards don't have families.

oooh shit. i hope no one gets hurt and this ends peacefully

time to get a sniper in there

Am I the only person seeing a huge anomally in this post?

My thoughts are with the hostages.The best that we can all hope for is that they all come out alive,and that the department takes steps to ensure that lessons are learned and mistakes are not repeated.

oooh shit. i hope no one gets hurt and this ends peacefully

time to get a sniper in there

Stop watching movies and get your head into the real world. Also, stop contradicting yourself.

Update fellas.

4th day, and everything's still grim, if not grimmer. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/disappointed.gif

They cut the electricity yesterday. The Department tried to deny in today's paper that the inmates had any weapons in the tower. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

That all fell apart when today, with the inmates getting more aggressive, the inmates were caught by the local news' long-range cameras throwing a gas-grenade out of one tower window, and popping out of the roof hatch for a short moment wielding the AR-15 I have already said was there.

Getting a bit more edgy...

EDIT: They expanded the no-fly zone around the prison BTW...http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/banghead.gif

Thing's are gettin uglier indeed, it's time for them to pull their heads out of their asses and get this taken care of before some lives are lost.

How are they eating?

Zebrathree, why on God's green Earth would you want HRT there? They'll kill the whole fucking lot of 'em. On second thought, they may actually need some cowboys like that over there.

Cowboy = trigger happy redneck, usually armed with a camo shotgun, enjoys shooting at "cans" (mexiCANs, afriCANs, and puerto riCANs) :rolleyes:

hope it turns out well...

Update guys.

It's been about 160 hours since the standoff began.

Earlier today, the male hostage was released, in exchange for something that was not disclosed.

The female Officer is still in the tower as hostage, and the male is in the hospital, being treated for injuries.

At least things are looking a bit better, at least for one Officer.

Good deal. I just saw that too.
more here:http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Southwest/01/24/prison.hostages.ap/index.html