May 10,
2017
W.Va.
Corrections applauds successful Mock Prison Riot
CHARLESTON,
W.Va. – West Virginia again served as a global showcase for the
latest correctional tactics, techniques and technology with the 21st
Annual Mock Prison Riot in Moundsville.
The former West Virginia Penitentiary
hosts the four-day program, which last week drew nearly 1,100 participants from
28 states and 25 countries. The non-profit W.Va. Corrections Training
Foundation organizes the annual event in conjunction with the state Division of
Corrections.
“The Division of Corrections has really
become a global leader in corrections as a result of its partnership with the
Mock Prison Riot,” said Acting Corrections Commissioner Loita Butcher, who
helped oversee the April 30 – May 3 program. “For decades now, the Division of
Corrections has been contributing to the advancement of public safety tactics
and technologies through the Mock Prison Riot.”
The only event of its kind in the world, the
Mock Prison Riot allows the corrections profession to learn and share the
latest best practices. Program highlights include training sessions, a highly
regarded tactical skills competition, and a technology trade show that featured
55 vendors.
“One of the unique aspects of the Mock
Prison Riot is that agencies that are considering the procurement of a
technology can do a hands-on evaluation within the real-world context of the
former maximum security prison,” Butcher said.
Of the countries that participated, 23 were
sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Affairs. The INL helps these countries develop fair and just police,
court, and corrections systems to counter international instability, drug
trafficking and other crimes – all to keep Americans safe at home.
The Michigan Department of Corrections
took first place in the 2017 Mock Prison Riot Tactical Skills Team Competition.
Orange County, Fla., Corrections and the Kentucky Department of Corrections
came in at second and third place, respectively. Marius Seek of the Senegal
Prison Service is the Individual Tactical Skills Competition champion.
Drawing from its role in developing the
Mock Prison Riot program, the W.Va. Division of Corrections is coordinating
with the American Correctional Association and the National Tactical Officers
Association to develop national accreditation standards for Corrections
Emergency Response Teams.
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