The NYPD, Sheriff’s Workplace, and Division of Correction carried out an early-morning inspection of automobiles coming into Rikers Island yesterday in an effort to cease staff from bringing drugs into the ability to promote to detainees, Correction Commissioner Louis Molina instructed staff in a video memo.
The operation got here as opioid overdoses turn into extra widespread behind bars; at least 4 detainees died from overdoses final 12 months.
“The purpose of this inspection was not to invade your privacy, or due to a lack of trust, but it is because we need to do all we can to mitigate drug contraband entering our facilities,” Molina mentioned within the video, which was obtained by Gothamist.
Molina additionally instructed staff Wednesday that he desires to stop drugs from coming into the jails by scanning letters mailed to detainees and delivering these messages electronically, by way of tablets, as a result of he alleges that paper could be laced with liquid opioids. To take action — and to implement a ban on private packages — he’s in search of a variance from the Board of Correction subsequent month.
In his message, Molina mentioned staff members at the jails had been presumably uncovered to fentanyl not too long ago after looking out a detainee; they needed to be hospitalized and handled. Such more and more widespread claims about regulation enforcement publicity to fentanyl have been controversial, with some specialists saying officers usually tend to expertise anxiousness than an overdose when dealing with the drug.