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Filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg on Dec. 13, the suit says that the county hired a “full-service High-Risk Corrections Special Operations Mitigation Unit” that fosters “a toxic culture where excessive and unjustified terror and violence is perpetrated with impunity."
The complaint is specifically filed against the following:
- Joseph Garcia (the senior team leader of C-SAU)
- C-SAU
- York County
- York County Prison Warden Adam Ogle
- Former York County Prison Warden Claire Doll
- York County Commissioners Julie Wheeler, Doug Hoke and Ron Smith
- Two unnamed York County correctional officers
The York County Board of Commissioners hired C-SAU to provide tactical equipment including pump-action shotguns in addition to training up to 18 corrections officers on a $122,850 contract on Nov. 18, 2020, according to a copy of the contract obtained by York Daily Record.
The Abolitionist Law Center, York NAACP and the Pennsylvania Prison Society have all written or spoken about their concerns over the treatment of prisoners in York.
The Commissioners unanimously renewed the contract with C-SAU for two more years for $252,770 in Oct. 2021, according to YDR.The contract renewal was announced after a controversial podcast appearance by Garcia as well as videos and photos posted by Joseph Garcia and C-SAU repeatedly surfaced showing prisoners being shocked by a TASER, bloodied or in stress positions.
The 65-page complaint asks for a formal declaratory judgement that “the practices, policies and conditions outlined” within the complaint are unconstitutional and the County should be barred from using such methods, in addition to plaintiffs seeking punitive and nominal damages and coverage for attorney fees.
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