ALDEN, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Erie County Sheriff's Office said dozens of inmates on Monday refused to lock into their cells.
Police said following their evening meal, approximately 38 of the 42 inmates refused to comply with their required lock-in orders. When deputies and corrections officers responded to the housing unit, inmates barricaded the entry doors.
A spokesman for the sheriff's office said the incident started over the inmates desire to get a microwave into the housing area.
"A microwave oven is not a required appliance within the jail," spokesman Scott Zylka said. "A week and a half ago, that microwave oven was removed because we found the inmates were dismantling pieces from the microwave and had plans to create weapons and attack other inmates. Not only were they destroying county property, there was an imminent threat to other inmates."
The incident between the inmates and jail workers lasted for several hours. According to a timeline by the sheriff's office, the evening meal was at 5 p.m. while mandatory lock-in was at 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., the jail's Quick Entry Team was assembled. At 6:20 p.m., the jail's chief of operations ordered the inmates to lock in.
The inmates eventually complied with the order at 9:50 p.m.
Police said there was no use of force. No officers or inmates were injured, though the housing unit did sustain some property damage. Zylka said they are still gathering estimates on damages which included broken windows.
"The individuals involved with this little incident could face criminal charges as well as administrative disciplinary charges," Zylka said.
Inmates have since been moved to different housing units.
An investigation is ongoing from the Sheriff's Bureau of Investigations and the New York Commission of Correction has been notified.
