Northern New York lawmakers are calling on the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to be more transparent after an incident at Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone exposed several corrections officers to blood.DOCCS said six corrections officers were sent to the hospital and had to receive anti-HIV medication after they had to break up a fight last week between two inmates.A spokesperson told NBC5 two incarcerated individuals were found fighting in their cell, and did not comply with orders to stop. DOCCS said the inmates continued to struggle even after officers administered pepper spray, and staff said they were forced to enter the cell in order to break it up. As a result, several officers’ faces and eyes were exposed to the blood of one of the incarcerated individuals.The incident drew online criticism from state lawmakers on Monday. Now, lawmakers in our region are calling on DOCCs to make the anti-HIV treatment more accessible at area pharmacies.Assemblyman Michael Cashman (D-115th District) said he’s concerned about the situation and called on DOCCS to share their protocols for blood exposures. Sen. Dan Stec (R-45th District) also called for transparency Monday night.He posted a screenshot of a letter addressed to DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello. He expressed frustration after the affected officers were forced to travel to Clinton and St. Lawrence counties to receive treatment. “It’s unacceptable that officers exposed to blood or synthetic drugs in the line of duty can’t receive timely treatment,” Stec wrote. “Failure to do so is an abdication of its responsibility to care for those it employs.” DOCCS responded to NBC5 on Monday night regarding the incident, saying that facility staff who were involved in the incident were immediately given the first dose of the medicine needed following blood exposure.”Out of an abundance of caution, six officers were subsequently sent to a local hospital for further examination and treatment,” the statement from DOCCS continued. “The Department has no control over what medicines local pharmacies carry in stock.”The blood exposure follows dozens of other chemical exposures inside New York State prison facilities since the beginning of 2025, including at Upstate and Clinton Correctional Facilities. Multiple staff members at Upstate Correctional Facility were taken to the hospital following exposures as recently as Oct. 3.DOCCS reported at least 80 chemical exposures at Clinton Correctional Facility in the month of July alone.
Northern New York lawmakers are calling on the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to be more transparent after an incident at Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone exposed several corrections officers to blood.
DOCCS said six corrections officers were sent to the hospital and had to receive anti-HIV medication after they had to break up a fight last week between two inmates.
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A spokesperson told NBC5 two incarcerated individuals were found fighting in their cell, and did not comply with orders to stop.
DOCCS said the inmates continued to struggle even after officers administered pepper spray, and staff said they were forced to enter the cell in order to break it up. As a result, several officers’ faces and eyes were exposed to the blood of one of the incarcerated individuals.
The incident drew online criticism from state lawmakers on Monday. Now, lawmakers in our region are calling on DOCCs to make the anti-HIV treatment more accessible at area pharmacies.
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Assemblyman Michael Cashman (D-115th District) said he’s concerned about the situation and called on DOCCS to share their protocols for blood exposures.
Sen. Dan Stec (R-45th District) also called for transparency Monday night.
He posted a screenshot of a letter addressed to DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello. He expressed frustration after the affected officers were forced to travel to Clinton and St. Lawrence counties to receive treatment.
This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
“It’s unacceptable that officers exposed to blood or synthetic drugs in the line of duty can’t receive timely treatment,” Stec wrote. “Failure to do so is an abdication of its responsibility to care for those it employs.”
DOCCS responded to NBC5 on Monday night regarding the incident, saying that facility staff who were involved in the incident were immediately given the first dose of the medicine needed following blood exposure.
“Out of an abundance of caution, six officers were subsequently sent to a local hospital for further examination and treatment,” the statement from DOCCS continued. “The Department has no control over what medicines local pharmacies carry in stock.”
The blood exposure follows dozens of other chemical exposures inside New York State prison facilities since the beginning of 2025, including at Upstate and Clinton Correctional Facilities.
Multiple staff members at Upstate Correctional Facility were taken to the hospital following exposures as recently as Oct. 3.
DOCCS reported at least 80 chemical exposures at Clinton Correctional Facility in the month of July alone.
