Atwater correctional officers concerned with safety

ATWATER, Calif. (KFSN) -- A group of correctional officers from the Atwater federal prison has come forward with allegations against their warden, who is retiring at the end of this month.

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The men claim warden Hector Rios Junior has made the penitentiary a more dangerous place. They say he gives the prisoners too much power, and that he opens investigations against officers based on false inmate complaints.

But the warden tells Action News he must allow investigations when complaints are made, but in most cases the officers are cleared of any wrongdoing. He also says safety is his top priority and points out assaults on staff members have dropped significantly under his watch.

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atwater, merced, merced county, safety, local, sara sandrik

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