Ohio’s major newspapers just published an in-depth investigation into rampant drug smuggling at the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. The investigation exposed a growing problem that corrections officers know all too well—that illegal drugs are flowing into state prisons and putting staff at tremendous risk. OCSEA President Chris Mabe was interviewed for the report and said, “There is an infestation of narcotics in prisons all over Ohio.”
During an appearance on WOSU radio, President Mabe talked about the investigation and called for more funding to equip Corrections Officers with tasers and urged the state legislature to pass Andy’s Law. The law, named after CO Andrew Lansing, who was murdered on Christmas Day 2024, would toughen penalties for attacks on officers. The Ohio House of Representatives has passed the legislation, and the bill is now waiting for more hearings in the Senate.