With COVID-19 spiking in prison, spouses of Hawaii corrections officers fear the worst

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    OAHU, HI (KITV ) — The women who came forward agreed to speak with KITV4 anonymously, fearing retaliation.

One woman who called KITV4 said her husband hasn’t hugged her or their children in more than a week and she’s not letting it happen any time soon, as one hundred twenty four inmates and nineteen staff at the O’ahu Community Correctional Center have tested positive for COVID-19.

“He strips outside, he wipes down, sanitizes, I have the door locked so all he has to do is unlock the door, go straight to his room, lock the door and from then on he just has to shower and stay in his room,” she explained.

She is currently eight months pregnant and a mother of three.

“It’s very tough I’ve locked myself in my bathroom for a whole day and cried it out trying to not let me kids see it,” she said.

Another woman who called the station said her husband, also an Adult Corrections Officer at OCCC, has been asking his supervisor for personal protective equipment “since February,” and saw an N-95 mask for the first time at work Thursday.

The Department of Public Safety has a 55-page “Pandemic Response Plan” on their website, which reads “Ensure a sufficient stock of hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment
(PPE), and medical supplies are available and plan for re-stocking.”

This woman also alleges that there is nothing preventing officers who work in modules with COVID-19-positive inmates from working overtime in modules without inmates who’ve tested positive. The Pandemic Response Plan does not mention overtime policies.

According to a Dept. of Public Safety press release Friday

“OCCC operations/maintenance staff and work lines increased cleaning of all housing and intake modules. A deep cleaning vendor is scheduled to come in to perform professional sanitation services.

All transports to court from all Oahu facilities will be suspended through Friday. Video hearings will still be accommodated to the extent possible and as legally permissible. PSD is in constant contact with the Judiciary to assure the safety of all staff and inmates involved.”

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