Review underway after two guards left responsible for 800 prisoners in Waikato

Spring Hill Prison.
Spring Hill Prison. Photo credit: Getty.

The Department of Corrections says it is "unacceptable" that two guards were left responsible for more than 800 prisoners for three hours in November.

Between 3am and 6am on November 2, numerous rostered staff employed at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility in Waikato were required to supervise prisoners in hospital. This left two guards at the prison, which currently holds 861 prisoners.

While all prisoners were secure in their cells at the time, Department of Corrections regional commissioner Terry Buffery says having only two staff present is "unacceptable and should not have happened".

Buffery didn't say how many guards are usually on shift for security reasons, but Stuff has cited a guard as saying the minimum would normally be 20.

A review is underway, but immediate action has already been taken. This includes making changes to the night staff policy, monitoring critical shifts, providing additional staff to assist in hospital supervision, and preventing staff from doing escort duties until cover for their shift has been approved.

There are 4000 frontline custodial staff employed across 17 sites, with 80 vacancies. None of these are at Spring Hill, which employs about 326 staff. 

Of these, 17 are "unrosterable" - staff who "cannot be rostered in a prisoner-supervision role".

"We are confident there are no staff shortages impacting the safe and secure operation of any of our prisons, including Spring Hill Corrections Facility," Buffery said.

"Again, this should not have happened. Safety is paramount and Corrections operates 24 hours 365 days of the year. We are committed to providing staff with the support and resources they need to ensure the prison network continues to operate both safely and securely."