- Persistent Assaults on Law Enforcement Personnel
Prison staff must stay vigilant and ready for potential assaults by detainees, as per Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Justice, Herbert Mertin (FDP). According to him, "one should always be ready for it to occur at any given moment." This sentiment was shared during a tour of a de-escalation and deployment training session at the Justice Training School in Wittlich.
The focus is on de-escalation techniques, where employees learn to calm detainees through dialogue and prevent dangerous situations. However, if dialogue fails, staff needs to be "highly trained to defend themselves effectively against attacks," as stated by the minister.
This may involve deploying protective shields, multipurpose batons, pepper spray, or restraint techniques. John Klein, a de-escalation trainer, emphasized the importance of preventing the situation from escalating. He asserted, "Communication is the most powerful weapon." Physical and verbal altercations with detainees are a common occurrence for every prison guard.
"Each instance is one too many"
As of this year, there have been 13 incidents of physical assault resulting in injuries against staff in Rhineland-Palatinate's prison service, according to the Ministry of Justice. This was in response to a dpa inquiry. In 2022, there were 19 such incidents, while in 2021, there were 14. There hasn't been a clear upward trend detected.
If broken down by individual facilities, "fortunately, there aren't many cases," said Jörg Patzak, director of the Wittlich prison. However, each individual case is regrettable, and one should always be prepared. The de-escalation and deployment training plays a crucial role in this aspect. Patzak, head of the state's largest prison, stated that they successfully manage to diffuse many challenging situations through dialogue.
Detainees are becoming increasingly disrespectful
Assaults on prison staff occur "with a certain frequency and varying severity," according to the Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Prison Staff. It has been observed that detainees are becoming "more insolent, disrespectful, and psychologically disturbed."
This Friday, a trial for attempted murder will begin at the Frankenthal Regional Court against an inmate who allegedly stabbed a prison guard in the neck with a sharp, ten-centimeter-long piece of a table leg during an escape attempt in 2023 at the Frankenthal prison.
"It seems like" more such incidents have occurred
In the opinion of the association's chairman, Stefan Wagner, overall incidents - including insults, threats, and attempted bodily harm - "seem to have increased" in recent years. Therefore, preparation for critical situations is "extremely important."
Wittlich prison has been "well-equipped" in recent years, as per Patzak. This includes protective clothing suitable for indoor use, similar to that of the riot police, including helmets, leg and arm protectors, and protective shields. He added that this is necessary because inmates sometimes riot in their cells as well.
Rhineland-Palatinate has eight prisons, two juvenile prisons, and one juvenile detention center. As of mid-August, a total of 3,245 individuals were incarcerated there. At the end of July, there were around 1,700 staff members in the general prison service.
Given the increasing disrespectfulness and instances of assaults by detainees, it is essential for prison staff to remain vigilant and prepared for any potential violent situations. Ensurement of justice demands that prison staff is highly trained to defend themselves effectively and de-escalate conflicts, as these instances are one too many.
