Ohio — Correction officers across Ohio are staging a boycott in solidarity after the tragic death of a colleague, Officer Andy Lansing, who was fatally attacked by an inmate at the Ross Correctional Institution (RCI). The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA) President Christopher Mabe has raised serious concerns about systemic failures in leadership and management within the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC).
In a letter to Governor Mike DeWine, Mabe called for the immediate suspension of DRC Director Annette Chambers, along with other relevant officials, pending the investigation into Lansing’s death. “Officer Lansing’s death underscores a failure to prioritize the safety of correctional staff,” Mabe stated. “This tragedy reflects a broader pattern of negligence that has endangered the lives of those serving in Ohio’s correctional institutions.”
While correction officers are unable to strike due to existing agreements with the prison system, they have initiated a boycott by refusing to wear body cameras, starting at RCI and spreading to other facilities across the state. Some officers have voiced their frustrations online, highlighting concerns that certain violent inmates, like Rashawn Cannon, are granted excessive freedom within the prison environment.
The situation has intensified discussions about safety protocols and the treatment of correctional staff, as officers demand accountability and better protection in their workplaces. The OCSEA is calling for urgent reforms to ensure the safety and well-being of correctional personnel statewide.
