California Pens :: North Kern State Prison (NKSP)

April 2011

April 4 – An officer was escorting an LVN during medication rounds when an inmate spit on the officer through the cell door, striking him in the face shield and neck area. The officer was escorted to medical for evaluation, treatment and released.

September 2010

September 29 – While monitoring the morning meal, a yard officer stopped several reception center inmates as they were returning back to their building. When the Yard officer asked to see their identification cards an inmate became agitated and threw the card at the officer striking him in the chest. The officer ordered the inmate to turn around to be placed in handcuffs. As the officer attempted to place the cuffs on the inmate, the inmate turned around and struck him in the face. The officer drew his baton and attempted to strike the inmate on the arm. A second Yard officer ordered the yard down and responded to the area. The officer then used pepper spray to stop the inmate. At the same time, another inmate approached the second Yard officer from behind and struck him. The officer used pepper spray with negative results. Two more officers responded and used the MEB to gain compliance. As more responding staff arrived, they observed approximately five more Southern Hispanic inmates attempting to approach the incident. The responding staff gave multiple orders to get down which they complied. As an officer was escorting one of the inmates away from the incident, he began resisting and kicked the escorting officer in the knee. The officer use physical strength to force the inmate to the wall and gain control. The first Yard officer was taken to the treatment and triage area and later transported by ambulance to a local hospital for a CAT scan due to the swelling and bleeding in his eye. The second Yard officer sustained redness and bruising to his elbow and the escorting officer sustained redness and bruising to his knee. Both officers elected to remain on duty. All suspected inmates were rehoused in Ad Seg.

August 2010

August 28 – An inmate was escorted to his assigned cell following his involvement in an earlier incident. As the escorting officer began removing the handcuffs, the inmate spun to the side and struck the officer on the head with the unsecured portion of the handcuff. The officer used physical force and the second officer utilized her MEB to stop the inmate. The inmate then used his fist to punch the second officer in the face. The escorting officers pulled the inmate to the ground and reapplied the handcuff and waited for responding staff. Both officers were medically evaluated, treated and returned to their assigned shifts.

As on August 28 – The control booth officer monitoring the morning meal observed an inmate exit his cell requesting to speak to the floor officer. The officer ordered the inmate to return to his cell and lock up. The inmate refused and shut his cell door and stood in front of it. The officer ordered the inmate to place his hands behind his back with negative results. The officer activated his personal alarm and utilized pepper spray. The inmate began striking the officer repeatedly in the head and face. The officer fell to the ground and the inmate continued with his assault. The control booth officer continued to give orders to get down with negative results. The officer then observed the inmate pick up the officer’s baton and began swinging the fully extended baton from side to side. The control booth officer then discharged his 40 mm direct impact launcher aiming for the inmate, with negative results. A responding officer utilized pepper spray striking the inmate. The inmate then threw the baton at responding staff and got in a prone position. After staff placed him in mechanical restraints, the inmate became verbally abusive and began spitting towards staff requiring officers to apply a spit mask. As staff began to escort the inmate out of the building, the inmate became disruptive by thrusting his body forward. This caused responding staff to lose their balance as they slipped on pepper spray, falling forward while maintaining control of the inmate’s arms. The officer was transported to an outside hospital via ambulance. The inmate was rehoused in Ad Seg.  

August 27 – An inmate was attacked by another inmate during the evening meal. All inmates were ordered to get on the ground. All inmates complied except the two inmates. Additional orders were given by staff with negative results. The on-site responder used pepper spray and both inmates got into a prone position. While searching the common areas, responding staff discovered an inmate-manufactured stabbing weapon in a trash can and the assailant inmate was found to have a cut on the back of his neck. Both inmates were rehoused in Ad Seg.  
 

May 2010

May 15 – While supervising the evening meal in Facility B, the floor officers observed an inmate receiving an object from an unidentified inmate near a cell. The inmate then walked immediately back into his cell for a brief moment and returned back onto the tier. The officers proceeded to the cell to conduct a cell search. As the door of the cell was opening, the first officer instructed the inmates to exit. However, an inmate ignored the order and flushed an unknown item down the toilet. The inmate then lunged toward the first officer’s waist; the officer immediately pushed the inmate back into the cell. Simultaneously, the second officer used his pepper spray and ordered the inmate to get down. The other inmate suddenly charged toward the first officer, striking him in the torso. Physical force and holds were used to subdue the inmate and force him to the ground. Once on the ground, the officer applied handcuffs. Responding staff arrived on the scene, escorted the inmates out of the unit and up to the program office. 

April 2010

April 5 – A search was conducted in Ad Seg. Upon completion of the search detail, calculated cell extractions were conducted. During the cell extractions, inmates broke the fire sprinkler in several cells, and broke the back window in one of the cells through the use of the broken sprinklers. There were some staff injuries, such as cuts and bruises. One officer was battered during the extraction when an inmate grabbed him. 

March 2010

 

January 2010

January 30 – While the floor officers were conducting the evening meal, approximately 20 Hispanic inmates and black inmates began striking each other. Floor officer #1 activated his personal alarm and within seconds the bottom tier erupted in fighting. Floor officer #2 announced a Code 2 as both floor officers ordered the combatants to get down with negative results. Both officers used pepper spray in the face of the combatants in close proximity with no results, and the fighting continued. During the riot, food trays were being thrown and officer #1 was hit by two food trays, causing abrasions to his arm and hand. The two officers backed away, continuing to give verbal orders to get down and waited for responding staff to arrive. When Code 1 responders arrived, the inmates involved in the riot got down in a prone position. The Code 1 responders started to place inmates in handcuffs as Code 2 responders arrived to provide coverage. All inmates were handcuffed, escorted to the triage areas where they received medical attention, and rehoused. No serious injuries were noted. The officer hit by the trays received minor injuries and elected to stay on duty.

January 30 – The Facility B floor officer was conducting dayroom recall when he observed an inmate attack another inmate by ramming his head into a closet door. The inmate continued to strike the assaulted inmate with closed fists. They ignored the floor officer’s orders to get down. The officer then used pepper spray, spraying both inmates in the face. This had the desired effect and both inmates assumed a prone position. Responding staff arrived and placed both inmates in restraints without further incident. The assaulted inmate received seven sutures for a laceration above his eye.

January 1 – Staff were conducting an intake search of an inmate’s property, when they found a white envelope containing a green leafy substance wrapped in plastic and medical tape. Staff processed the unknown substance for testing by ISU.
 

December 2009

December 30 – An inmate was being placed in handcuffs, when the inmate turned his body and swung his clinched fist striking the officer in the shoulder area. The officer used pepper spray to gain compliance. The inmate was placed in handcuffs, responding staff arrived and escorted the inmate out of the area. The officer sustained no serious injuries as a result of being struck by the inmate.

December 6 – During bed moves three inmates attacked two other inmates. One of the assailant inmates was observed using a cane during the incident. The floor officer used his expandable baton and responding staff used pepper spray; with positive results.

December 1 – An inmate was escorted to the restroom from a holding cell. An officer observing the inmate running from the restroom back into the program office, immediately followed. Once inside the office, the inmate grabbed a wooden tray and struck the officer in the forehead. As the inmate continued his attack, the officer used his MEB and attempted to stop the attack. Responding staff arrived and used physical force to restrain the inmate on the floor. The inmate was place in handcuffs and leg restraints and escorted to a holding cell without further incident. No serious injury to staff were reported.  
 

November 2009

November 24 - A Facility B officer was observing the exercise yard when he observed two inmates striking another inmate in the head and torso. The injured inmate fell to the ground, as the assaultive inmates continued to strike him in the back and head. Responding staff arrived and the assailant inmate assumed a prone position. The injured inmate was discovered to have numerous puncture wounds. The two inmates were medically cleared and placed in Ad Seg. The injured inmate was treated for his injuries and rehoused. 

April 2008

March 2008

March 8 - Eight Crip inmates became involved in a riot on the Facility B upper yard basketball court. Responding staff deployed one OC grenade into the incident site. As more staff responded the inmates stopped fighting and assumed a prone position on the ground. The inmates were placed in flex cuffs and escorted from the area. All involved inmates were medically cleared and re-housed in ASU.

March 26 - Two Officers observed several inmates fighting. The inmates complied with staff orders to stop. Two weapons were recovered following the incident. The involved inmates were medically evaluated and re-housed in ASU.

March 24 - An inmate spat at an Officer striking him on the neck. The Officer was medically evaluated and cleared to return to work.

February 2008

February 7 - Approximately 12 inmates were involved in a riot between Northern Hispanics and Black inmates. All inmates' injuries were superficial and there were no staff injuries as a result of the incident. Three inmates were re-housed in Administrative Segregation.