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The family of a correctional officer who died of COVID-19 plans to sue Hudson County, saying the officer was forced to work with inmates who were likely infected with the virus but who never provided any individual protection equipment.
Bernard Waddell Sr., one of the first New Jersey law enforcement officers to die of the coronavirus, was not given any personal protective equipment from March until his last day on the job, said Paul da Costa , attorney for the Waddell family. While working without PPE, Waddell was forced to interact with inmates who his family said were showing symptoms of the coronavirus that had struck New Jersey less than a month before his death, da Costa said.
The notice of tort claim, a notice of lawsuit, was filed with Hudson County on Monday, da Costa said. A county spokesperson declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation
“The claim is number one is that Bernard, as a correctional officer, did not receive PPE until March and until his last day on the job,” da Costa said.
Waddell Sr., 56, died on April 1 of coronavirus, one of the first Garden State law enforcement officers to die from the virus which, at that time, was not active in state that for weeks.
Besides the lack of PPE, Waddell’s family claim that Waddell was forced to work closely with inmates who may have tested positive for the coronavirus and that the prison did not take anyone’s temperature or have someone fill out a questionnaire. person before entering the establishment, says da Costa.
The family also claim that inmates who showed symptoms were not initially isolated, being taken back and forth to the infirmary, da Costa said.
The virus has torn apart the Hudson County jail, with more than 60 inmates and staff testing positive for COVID-19 at one point in the spring, the Jersey Journal reported. Five prison workers, including Waddell, another correctional officer Zeb Craig and longtime nurse Daisy Doronilla, have died from COVID-19.
In a previous interview with NJ Advance Media, Ron Edwards, director of the Hudson County Corrections Department, said Waddell was an invaluable prison employee who “would be greatly missed.” Waddell was a senior officer who had reached the rank of corporal and worked in the housing unit, he said.
Edwards previously called it “the hardest beat in the land.”
During his nearly three decades of service, Waddell had learned and was familiar with the Immigration and Customs Courts (ICE) and the United States Marshals Service, often coordinating the transportation of detainees and immigration detainees federal government, Edwards said. Waddell had trained about 50% of the facility’s correctional staff, Edwards said.
Waddell suffered from various underlying health conditions and had been out of jail since March 17, a county spokesperson said.
Through the lawsuit, Waddell’s family hope to shed light on what they see as a widespread failure by the county’s Department of Corrections and other similar institutions to protect law enforcement officers.
“She [Waddell’s wife] believes Bernard died as a result of reckless driving by the Hudson County Corrections Department, ”da Costa said. “She wants to make her voice heard to her late husband and to other law enforcement officers who showed up to work every day to fulfill their duty and who were unfortunately needlessly endangered by not receiving the bare minimum of protective equipment.
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Rodrigo Torrejon can be reached at [email protected].
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