Prison incident: Inmates refuse evening lock up, try to start fires - riot staff called in and pepper spray used

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A group of prisoners refusing to be locked up for the night and trying to start fires were brought under control by pepper spray when a riot team was activated, a union says.

Corrections Association New Zealand president Alan Whitley said staff should be praised for the way they safely managed a staff assault and incident on Monday evening.

Shortly prior to lock up, a prisoner attacked and assaulted a staff member, he said.

A group of prisoners then refused to be locked up and tried to start fires, he said.

The prison's advanced control and restraint team were called, who used pepper spray to deal with the situation.

Staff were able to quickly regain "control of the facility without any injury to staff or prisoners".

"This again shows the professional nature of our Corrections staff and the amazing job they do in very stressful and violent situations," Whitley said.

According to the Corrections Association of New Zealand, 47 per cent of prisoner misconduct hearings do not result in an outcome.

Whitley said that when it comes to the police prosecuting prisoners over assaulting staff the numbers were no better.

"Our members are told by the police that a prosecution doesn't fit the Solicitor General's guidelines for prosecution, as it is not in the public interest.

"This is another smack in the face for our members who most often have already received a literal punch in the face, simply for doing their job."

The association had been told by staff members at Auckland Prison that there was a prisoner there who had assaulted about 30 staff since 2017.

They claim that the prisoner had never faced a police prosecution over the incidents.

Instead, according to the association, police ask Corrections to deal with these serious offences using the department's internal misconduct process.

"Serious assaults on staff are increasing and it is clear this is because there is no consequence for a prisoner that does assault a staff member," Whitley said.

"This is why we are supporting New Zealand First's Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill, which is having its third reading on Wednesday."

Whitley said they had spoken to several different political parties and it seemed that only NZ First and National were willing to support this legislation.

"It is a real shame the Corrections Minister has not taken this chance to publicly come out in support of the people in his care."