Waikeria Prison. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Missed opportunities by Corrections' frontline staff to prevent disorder at Waikeria Prison ahead of an unprecedented riot is the result of systemic leadership failure, a union says.
A damning report by the Office of the Inspectorate released on Friday found Corrections was ill-prepared and responded poorly during the six-day riot which began on 29 December 2020.
The report showed a series of escalating incidents in the high-security yard leading up to the riot were either ignored or not dealt with appropriately.
This included a prisoner who refused to return a disposable razor blade, inmates who covered themselves in soap to avoid being caught and who were smoking cannabis, which meant they had a means of ignition.
They also covered CCTV cameras and rang the media ahead of the riot, which ended in more than 30 fires and $50 million in damage.
Corrections Association of New Zealand president Floyd du Plessis told RNZ the same criticisms in today's report were made after the Springhill Prison riot in 2013, but nothing had changed.
"Staff had been raising for quite some time escalating behaviour in that (Waikeria) prison, and concerns were raised but they were met with apathy."
He said it meant staff had been conditioned not to address bad behaviour.
"And so by not responding to and dealing with negative behaviour by the prisoners, they were allowing the behaviour to continue and escalate and that led to some of the lack of response by staff in dealing with and addressing that behaviour."
Du Plessis said staff had no specific training to deal with maximum-security prisoners. Instead, all Corrections officers received the same training, he said.
He called for better training and equipment including pepper spray that could be deployed from metres away so that staff were not having to confront out-of-control prisoners up close, which put them at risk of harm.
Du Plessis also wanted to see trauma training for all officers, and official recognition of the staff who risked their lives that day to evacuate 200 prisoners who were trapped in their cells while the fires took hold.
Chief Inspectorate Janis Adair, who penned the report, said she flagged issues with the 100-year-old high-security area before the riot.
Chief Inspectorate Janis Adair. Photo: Supplied / Office of the Inspectorate
"I made the comment in my 2019 report that the high-security separates area was an environment that simply wasn't conducive for the humane treatment of prisoners, with little natural light and a number of other environmental challenges."
She called the riot "unprecedented" and said it was terrifying for everyone involved.
Minister of Corrections Mark Mitchell said he was satisfied with changes Corrections was making to address more than 100 recommendations in the report.
He was confident the country would not see a repeat of the Waikeria riot.
"This report has highlighted changes that need to be made - 105 recommendations. Corrections has already accepted most of those.
"Change is already underway and I'm confident we're not going to see another situation like we saw in Waikeria, unfold."
Mitchell acknowledged the challenging conditions for Corrections staff.
Minister of Corrections Mark Mitchell. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
"I want to be very clear that you're talking about an extremely difficult environment for Corrections staff. You've got our worst violent, most unpredictable offenders often with mental health and addictions issues.
"And it's an extremely dynamic and difficult environment to manage and actually overall our Corrections staff, team and leadership do an outstanding job of that everyday."
Corrections national commissioner Leigh Marsh acknowledged mistakes were made but said Corrections had invested heavily in training staff in such situations.
Marsh admitted a prisoner holding onto a razor blade, having a lighter, and smoking cannabis were all breaches of the rules but he said the incidents needed to be put into context.
"We've got over 9000 prisoners (nationwide) and these people are in prison because they are known for breaking the law.
"They are known for not following the rules so it is normal to expect there will be some individuals who won't potentially return the razor at the end of using it, and our staff will make decisions in the context of that particular situation as to what actions will be taken."
He said emergency training had improved since the riot and he praised staff for their heroic efforts in evacuating 200 prisoners trapped in their cells during the fire.
"I've no doubt and the report illustrates this, that our staff saved many lives during this event. They put themselves in harms way.
"They re-entered a burning building to evacuate people and save lives and it was their actions that meant no one died as a result of this event."