Robert Ortt, himself a National Guard veteran, is among those questioning Hochul’s action to deploy members of the National Guard to aid those corrections officers still on duty.
The move, Ortt says, could be counter-protective and have an adverse effect. At the very least, it will strain already frayed relations between the corrections officers and the Hochul administration.
“I do not believe for one second that sending Army National Guard soldiers, many of whom I have to suppose have not been trained at all to work inside a prison, let alone inside a civilian prison, not a military prison, this has the real possibility of making a bad situation even worse,” Ortt said.
By mid-afternoon Feb 19, Hochul deployed more than 3,500 National Guards troops to the 33 correctional facilities where informational pickets are underway - some since Feb. 17.
At the same time, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction order against the picketing correctional workers mandating they cease and desist with their actions and return to work.
Hochul also assigned an independent mediator to try and broker a deal between the union governing the corrections officers and the state Department of Corrections.
But will these measures work?
Ortt says the National Guardsmen are not trained to handle a prison atmosphere and their presence inside the walls could further inflame already harsh relations between the prisoners and those guarding them.
As of mid-afternoon Feb. 19, informational pickets remain underway at 33 state prisons including Attica, Wende, and Collins correctional facilities.
The picket, now in its third day, centers on safety and mental health issues more than seeking more pay. Other key issues include repealing the three-year-old HALT Act (Humane Alternatives to Long Term) solitary confinement and hiring more guards.
Corrections officers want to have meetings with Hochul and other key state leaders about their issues. They continue to wait.
“We got to be real about what these folks are going into every day. And I think that's what they want. They want someone who understands what they go through, and what they're dealing with, and they want a safer work environment,” Ortt said. “That's what they're looking for, a safer work environment.”
Dave Washburn, a retired 25-year corrections officer who worked at the Elmira and Groveland Correctional Facilities agrees.
“Listen to your staff. Listen to the families they're crying out for help,” Washburn said.
For now, the corrections officers are continuing their statewide informational pickets.