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| Lockdown at PA prison nears end |
| By The Patriot-News |
| Published: 05/17/2006 |
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DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA - Dauphin County Prison officials are to lift the second lockdown in as many weeks sometime this morning, barring further problems at the Swatara Twp. facility, authorities said. After coming off a near weeklong lockdown last Friday, jail officials again sealed the facility Saturday afternoon after two more homemade knives, or "shanks," were found and a ventilation cover had been opened. The prison, which yesterday had 992 inmates, was initially locked down the night of May 8, when officers found a part to a cell phone, which are not allowed. On Tuesday, officers found a shank in the spine of a book, they said. When in lockdown, inmates are required to stay in their cells and visitors are prohibited. That meant that Saturday afternoon and Sunday visitations were canceled. While nobody has been injured by the makeshift weapons, Warden Dominick DeRose said they weren't taking any chances. One of the recently discovered shanks was made from the metal arch support from a boot, he said. The weapons were found in B Block, which houses about 60 inmates. DeRose said they may end up lifting restrictions in the other areas of the prison sooner. "We take it very seriously, providing a safe and secure facility not only for the officers to work in but for the inmates to live," DeRose said. "I don't take cancelling the visitation lightly, but once we found the second shank, I said 'We have to find out what else may be out there.' " |
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