Prison reviews security protocols after inmate escapes from cell | National and international news

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GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) – Officials at Westmoreland County Prison are reviewing security protocols after an inmate escaped from his cell and allegedly attacked a guard.

Initially believed to be the inmate blocking his cell door with a piece of paper, Warden Steve Pelesky told KDKA-TV that after reviewing surveillance footage, they believe it was an officer's mistake. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on August 9.

“In this case, it appears from the video that the officer did not pull hard enough on the door to open it, or did not realize that the door was not fully locked at the time,” said Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew.

Pelesky said when officers start their shift, the first thing they should do is manually check to make sure all cell doors are locked. Pelesky said it appears a guard did not secure the door as intended and no one double-checked it.

KDKA-TV asked how often inmates try to block the doors with paper, and Pelesky replied, “All the time.”

“It is definitely true that inmates will try anything, and that is one of the reasons why we are always so cautious when we talk about security and prison procedures. Some of the papers in this mechanism they have seen before. We notice them,” Chew said.

Pelesky said inmate John Crowe walked out of his cell and exchanged blows with a guard before being rearrested.

“The correctional officer finished his shift that day. He stayed for another overtime shift before leaving,” Chew said.

Pelesky and Chew said officials will work to retrain prison staff to double-check cell doors.

“We definitely want to make sure that the other inmates as well as our correctional officers are safe. That they are safe for themselves and that they are safe in their interactions with each other. So it is important that we review this at the upcoming prison board meeting and make sure that there are policies in place so that this does not happen again in the future,” Chew said.

Chew said the prison administration is constantly looking for ways to improve security or make upgrades in the prison.

“The Westmoreland County Jail is not an old facility. But at the same time, it is not brand new, either. That's why in Westmoreland County, we are constantly reviewing all of our infrastructure and looking for ways to improve it and make it as efficient as possible because that will cost the taxpayer the least money in the long run,” Chew said.

Crowe himself is familiar with the prison system. Over the past 15 years, he has been arrested more than a dozen times, according to online records. Charges include assault, harassment, public intoxication and terroristic threats.

He is now accused of grievous bodily harm and escape.

It is unclear whether the guard, who apparently overlooked the cell lock, will be reprimanded.

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