Members of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU) sent a letter to Governor Healey on Thursday, saying in part they’re “deeply troubled” by the planned closure of MCI-Concord in June.
The medium-security men’s prison reportedly employs 300 MCOFU members and houses over 300 inmates.
“With the planned closing we are concerned over how this will happen logistically and how it will place our other facilities at an increased threat level,” the letter reads.
Union leaders are worried the inmates at MCI-Concord will be re-classified to lower security facilities, which they say puts both officers and inmates at risk.
Citing a 2022 incident where Correction Officer Matthew Tidman was nearly beaten to death by an inmate, the MCOFU says things like that happen when higher security level inmates slip through the transfer cracks and are placed in lower security facilities.
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“We understand that the number of inmates is down from years past but the inmates that are currently incarcerated are some of the most dangerous and violent offenders,” the letter to Healey says. “We are asking you and your administration to stop the closing of Concord and study the impact this will have in our correctional system.”