Lansing officer resigns, says PPE shortage final straw

After 15 years, a sergeant at the Lansing Correctional Facility is calling it quits, saying the lack of personal protection equipment for employees and inmates was the final straw.

KANSAS CITY METRO.ALL INMATES AT THELANSING CORRECTIONALFACILITY WILL BE TESTEDFOR COVID-19.EARLIER THIS WEEK, 240INMATES FROM ONE UNITWERE TESTED, AND 75PERCENT OF THEM WEREPOSITIVE ANDASYMPTOMATIC.THIS COMES AFTER THEFACILITY -- WITH ONE OFTHE LARGESTCORONAVIRUSOUTBREAKS IN KANSAS --ANNOUNCED ITS SECONDDEATH RELATED TO THEVIRUS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER MCKENZIENELSON TALKED TO ACORRECTIONS OFFICERWHO RESIGNED FROMLANSING OVER WHAT HEDESCRIBED AS SERIOUSISSUES.SHE SHARES HIS STORYOF CONDITIONS HECLAIMS PUT STAFF IDANGER.MCKENZIE NELSON - REPORTINGAFTER 15 YEARS - ASERGEANT HERE AT THELANSING CORRECTIONALFACILITY IS CALLING ITQUITS SAYING THE LACKOF PPE FOR EMPLOYEESAND INMATES WAS THEFINAL STRAW.DAVID CARTER - FORMERSERGEANT, LANSINGCORRECTION FACILIT"When the pandemic started,they ignored it."DAVID CARTER WORKED ASA CORRECTIONAL OFFICER.THE KANSAS DEPARTMENTOF CORRECTIONS TOLD 41ACTION NEWS CARTERWAS HIRED IN FEBRUARY2005.ON WEDNESDAY - CARTERSUBMITTED HISRESIGNATION LETTER -EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.IN THE LETTER CARTERWROTE ABOUT THERECENT ATMOSPHERE thathe says PUTS STAMEMBERS IN DANGER.CARTER"Trying our best to do what wecan with what little we have,do more with less is kind ofthe state motto at this point."CARTER SAID THERESPONSE TO THEPANDEMIC WAS SLOW ANDINEFFECTIVE.CARTER"Let's put 200 guys onto themax yard, lets let themintermingle, they justpretended nothing wouldhappen and hoped it would goaway I suppose."IN HIS 15 YEARS - CARTERSAYS HE WAS ALWAYSENCOURAGED TO WEARGLOVES.AT THE START OF THEPANDEMIC, - HE SAIDPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTWAS DISTRIBUTED BUT ITQUICKLY RAN OUT.CARTER"We were given cloth maskshandmade by inmates andsewing machines."CARTER SAID THE RECENTRIOT AT THE FACILITY WASDUE TO THE LACK OF PPEFOR INMATES.CARTER"C2 has 5 guys in a cell, livingon top of each other.

In a 4man cell they have 5 guys, sosocial distancing isimpossible, and the next bestthing is to protect yourself andthey can't do that either sofrustration starts to bubbleover a little bit."SINCE THE BEGINNING OFTHE PANDEMIC -70 STAFF AND 70 INMATESHAVE TESTED POSITIVEFOR CORONAVIRUS.THURSDAY - THE KANSASDEPARTMENT OFCORRECTIONSANNOUNCED ALLRESIDENTS WILL BETESTED.CARTER"If that were the only problemand it's a temporary issue, youcan ride it out maybe andhope for the best but whenthat's not the only issue, youstop wanting to ride it out."DEPARTMENT OFCORRECTION OFFICIALSTOLD ME THEY HAVE NOCOMMENT ON CARTER'SRESIGNATION.REPORTING IN LANSING,MCKENZIE NELSON,