Police investigate assault at Monroe Correctional Complex

Monroe Police are investigating an alleged assault that took place at the Monroe Correctional Complex in late July.

MPD administrative director Debbie Willis reports an inmate punched a corrections officer. The incident occurred just after 2 p.m. Friday, July 27, in the Washington State Reformatory Unit, according to MCC public information officer Susan Biller.

The officer is believed to have had minor injuries, according to Willis. They were treated at EvergreenHealth Monroe, she reports. The staff member was released the same day, according to Biller. Involving Monroe Police was part of a standard procedure.

“Our police department investigates all felony and misdemeanor crimes that occurs at the prison,” according to Willis. “We do a criminal investigation, DOC does an administrative investigation.”

The offending inmate was sent to segregation, according to Biller.

More than 700 individuals under medium and minimum security are housed there, according to Biller.  Nearly 2,400 male minimum, medium and maximum-security inmates are housed within the facility.

About 1,200 employees and officers manage the Monroe complex: the Washington State Reformatory, Twin Rivers, Minimum Security, Special Offender and Intensive Management units are spread across 365 acres.