Statement from PBA Local 105 President, Brian Renshaw, on the recent assault made by an inmate on a State Correctional Police Officer at Juvenile Medium Security Facility in Bordentown:

On Friday, March 16, 2018, New Jersey State Correctional Police Officer J. Sheaffer was attacked by an inmate. It happened at the Juvenile Medium Security Facility.  The inmate attacked the officer by repeatedly punching him in the head. The officer suffered several chipped teeth and multiple fractures to his face as a result of the attack.  Responding officers were able to detain the inmate and the injured officer was first treated at the prison by the nurse, then eventually taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Hamilton to receive additional treatment.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with State Correctional Police Officer Sheaffer and his family. On behalf of his fellow PBA Local 105 family, we wish him a quick recovery and we thank him for his dedication to a career that can bring a lot of danger. Unfortunately, this is now the second time this month I have had to address one of our officers being attacked by an inmate.  This is becoming too much of an occurrence and I am looking to our state leaders to take action.  

“We have made great progress in addressing the need to fully compensate our State Correctional Officers when they are out on medical leave due to an inmate attack. This month alone we have seen two officers attacked by inmates; this incident and the attack on OFC John Laino earlier this month. These attacks are real and occur all too often and they need to be addressed now. It is long overdue. These are blue collar workers who need their paycheck and cannot afford to lose a day’s pay, let alone weeks or months. This isn’t just about the officer, but about their families.

“The legislative language for SLI benefits needs to be made clear and cover injured officers who are attacked by the hands of an inmate. Our State Correctional Police Officers deserve their full SLI benefits when they are out on extended leave due to an attack by an inmate, period.  I will fight to make sure our members and their families are fully compensated should this sort of tragedy ever happen to them. They fight for their state, and I will fight for them.”