Waupun Correctional Institution placed under lockdown, mayor says

The Waupun Correctional Institution was under lockdown Thursday night, Mayor Rohn W. Bishop said.

Bishop said he didn't believe a threat existed to the community as prison officials did not relay that message to him.

Bishop said two incidents might have occurred, he would defer to the state Department of Corrections, but one of incidents was roughly 40 inmates refusing to reenter their cellblock.

Communication director with the state Department of Corrections, John Beard, said the prison was under a status called "modified movement," as of Friday, after some of the prison's population were "breaking rules that are in place to assure everyone's safety."

"(Modified movement is) a practice that is not uncommon in DOC institutions and can be implemented for a wide variety of reasons, including but not limited to staffing issues, safety concerns, COVID/flu outbreaks or searches," Beard said.

Basically, less of the population will be allowed to move throughout the facility while under this status. It's unclear how long the prison will be under this status, "Leadership at the institution has modified movement until they can properly assess and address recent matters, and safely resume normal operations," Beard said.

The prison is located at 200 S. Madison St. in Waupun, just off Main Street in downtown Waupun.

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS. 

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Waupun Correctional Institution placed under lockdown, mayor says