The South Dakota Department of Corrections has ended a lockdown that began 17 daysago at the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
According to a news release from department spokesman Michael Winder, the lockdown was a proactive security measure meant to ferret out contraband throughout its Sioux Falls facilities. The lockdown was not tied to an assault or disturbance, the release says, and no staff or inmates were injured.
The facilities are transitioning off the lockdown, Winder said, which ran from Sept. 16 through Oct. 2.
Winder had previously sent a release with photos of what the agency described as contraband.
The DOC has not said how many lockdowns have taken place in 2024. In response to a question from South Dakota Searchlight, Winder wrote Thursday evening that the DOC does not track lockdowns, their length, or their reason.
There were lockdowns followingunrestat the penitentiary in March and at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield in June. The March incidents led to indictments forinmatesand forpeople outside the wallswho were allegedly involved in delivering drugs to inmates and plotting an arson.
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