Correctional Officers Union launch media campaign to halt prison closures

By By EMMA WRIGHT

Story Created: Feb 12, 2010 at 4:42 PM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 13, 2010 at 5:50 PM EDT

(WKTV) - The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) are up-in-arms over some big state budget cuts, and is letting the public know it.

The Union is launching a new media campaign to keep the state from shutting down four state prisons.

Governor Paterson is proposing shutting down the prisons over the next two years as part of cost-saving measures, and Lyon Mountain, Butler, Ogdensburg, and the Moriah Shock Facility are all on the chopping block.

The Union is on a media blitz, taking out TV, radio, and internet ads against the proposed closures.

"We fought the Governor last year on it, and this year we are fighting the same thing," said NYSCOPBA, Central Regional President, Tom Haas.

Haas said the prison closures would affect over 600 workers.

Since 2000, the state has eliminated over 2,500 correctional officer positions, but increased the number of administrative positions.

The Union hopes their new media campaign will convince Albany to rethink the prison closures.
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