Jail guard union president warns of heightened chances for a riot at MDC

ALBUQUERQUE -- The head of the union representing guards at the Metropolitan Detention Center is skeptical that calling in the New Mexico National Guard will solve the problems there.

Joseph Trujeque is the president of AFSCME Council 18 Local 2499, the union representing guards at MDC. He works there, too, and has for around 20 years.

A big staffing shortage and a cyberattack has left inmates locked in their cells. The low morale and harsh conditions raise his concerns about the place erupting in violence.

He said he is always worried about a jail riot, no matter the circumstances, but there is a heightened threat of a riot right now. On lockdown, inmates cannot take showers, contact their loved ones or have visitors. And after the ransomware attack, they couldn’t access their commissary, Trujeque said, which is one of the only sources of relief for them.

Read more: https://sourcenm.com/2022/01/28/jail-guard-union-president-warns-of-heightened-chances-for-a-riot-at-mdc/