Officer injured at Woodford Correctional Centre

Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) can confirm a Custodial Correctional Officer was injured during an incident with a prisoner at Woodford Correctional Centre earlier this week.

An officer approached a prisoner who was engaging in offensive behaviour in one of the centres secure units.

As the officer challenged the prisoner’s conduct, he was struck on the side of the face. Other officers restrained the prisoner, who was taken to the Detention Unit.

The officer received medical treatment for bruising to the face and a laceration on his hand.

The matter will be referred to the CSIU for their consideration.

Prisoners who assault officers may face additional criminal charges and further prison time. They are also subject to internal disciplinary processes, including loss of privileges.

Every day our officers interact with the most challenging and complex people in our society.

Unfortunately from time to time our officers are required to put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety and security of the community. We are thankful for their commitment, and for the important role they play in public safety.

Officer safety is Queensland Corrective Services’ absolute priority. Every officer deserves to go home safely at the end of shift.

We take our responsibility as an employer to support our officers through appropriate training and provision of equipment, technology, and policy support very seriously, but recognise that we cannot remove all risk from the workplace due to the dynamic nature of correctional environments.

When an officer is injured on duty, QCS is committed to supporting the officer and their family while they recover.