The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will temporarily suspend elements of New York's HALT Act in its correctional facilities amid ongoing strikes and protests staged by correction officers across the state.

DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said in a memo Thursday that a number of HALT Act elements "that cannot safely be operationalized under a prison-wide state of emergency" will be suspended until facilities can be safely operated, including a memorandum issued Feb. 10 by DOCCS, requesting a "comprehensive review" of security staffing with the goal to cut staff to 70% of current levels.

DOCCS will also provide increased overtime rates for officers continuing to work through the current emergency, and the National Guard units Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed amid the strikes and protests will remain "until which time we can stabilize the operations of the facilities and ensure the safety of officers returning to work, the incarcerated population and the surrounding communities."

Additionally, no striking or protesting correction officers who report to work Thursday before 11:59 p.m., regardless of their schedule or shift, will face any discipline from DOCCS.

Officers striking outside Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County say the memorandum isn’t doing much.

“They know that they've been lied to before [and] they'll be lied to again,” said Ernie Dole, a retired correction officer. “Too many stipulations because the HALT Act is suspended temporarily. That means at 12:01, when people come back to work, it's back in action and [our issues get] washed off the table like nothing even happened.”

Protesters continue to cite issues of safety in jails for workers and inmates, though some say mistreatment at the hands of correction officers needs to be taken into consideration too.

Advocates with the HALT Solitary campaign were disappointed with Thursday’s rollback, saying in part in a statement:

"People will die – by suicide, by overdose, and at the hands of emboldened guards who know they can get away with anything simply by disappearing their abuse victims in solitary confinement. Moreover, this action will make prisons less safe, because solitary confinement only worsens behavioral challenges."

Strikers disagree. Dole says those who speak up for the HALT Act don’t understand the pressure it puts on correction officers.

“Officers ran the prison. Inmates listened,” he said. “Now, inmates run the prison. Officers get in trouble for not doing what the inmates want.”

They say what’s on the table right now simply isn’t enough.

“Don't give up. Fight for what's right, no matter how much the governor says, ‘get back to work and do your job,’ ” said Dole. “She needs to do her job first.”

Meanwhile, DOCCS has canceled visitation in all facilities until further notice. This comes after a large police response was called to Riverview Correctional Facility near Ogdensburg early Thursday morning, and a New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association representative has since confirmed the issue has been handled and correction officers are back in control.

A nearby hospital, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, was put on alert and called in extra staff and resources early this morning.

A NYSCOPBA spokesperson said inmates briefly had control inside the facility overnight, and correction officers on shift at the time didn't feel safe, so they backed out. That situation has since been "rectified" and staff is back in control of the facility, according to NYSCOPBA.

Correction officers still are striking outside the facility, and it could not be confirmed how many are working inside and how long they've been there.

"Last night, an incident occurred at Riverview Correctional Facility in which staff vacated their posts leaving the dorms unsupervised," a DOCCS statement read. "In response, the Albany Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), along with the Riverview CERT Team — including several members who stepped off the picket line, DOCCS Office of Special Investigations and the NY State Police — have intervened to restore order and ensure the safety of all individuals inside. Their efforts were instrumental in regaining control of the facility and preventing further escalation."

Hochul said on Thursday that the state is continuing efforts to shut down the statewide strikes and has begun mediation efforts to address the concerns of those protesting. An “aggressive” mediation schedule was set for three days, Feb. 25-27, which will be attended by NYSCOPBA, DOCCS and New York state’s Office of Employee Relations.

"We brought in the National Guard to make sure we aren't short-staffed," Hochul said. "We also have more being deployed if necessary. [We've] started mediation as well to talk about their concerns and how we can deal with the fact that there's a severe shortage of people who want to be correction officers in our state."