Chester County prison officials say upgraded cameras, fencing and training stopped Sept. 3 escape attempt

Warden Gordon told the Chester County Prison Board of Inspectors on Sept. 22 that an attempted escape at the county prison on Sept. 3 lasted about 10 minutes and ended with staff quickly regaining custody of the inmate without anyone leaving prison grounds.

"This whole incident transpired was approximately 10 minutes from start to finish," Warden Gordon said, describing the timeline and the post-incident security upgrades the facility has implemented.

The update matters because it followed a previous, higher-profile escape and because the incident prompted county leaders and residents to press for improvements in perimeter detection, camera coverage and staff training. Board members and two residents who spoke during public comment said the account and the steps already taken have helped restore local trust.

Warden Gordon described several specific changes made since the earlier escape and in response to the Sept. 3 attempt: deployment of three new canines; tablets in perimeter vehicles to allow officers to view interior and exterior cameras while responding; additions of cameras around previously unmonitored areas, including the back of the building and interview rooms; and redundancy for the formerly single central control room. He said the county approved replacement HVAC units and an upcoming roof project, and that the prison added a separate internal affairs unit after hiring a major through the prison board.

The warden also outlined tactical and staffing improvements. New video surveillance rooms have been added and will be staffed more fully as staffing allows, he said. He described changes to clothing color-coding for inmates by security level and job assignment and said the prison has revised door-control systems and added razor wire where fencing was previously inadequate. He reported roughly 70 hires since January and said the facility is expanding training, including leadership and bias training, and a shortened academy program to place new recruits more quickly on duty.

On the escape itself, Warden Gordon identified the inmate as Thomas Hackett, described as a minimum-security detainee held on charges including indecent exposure and attempted indecent assault out of Phoenixville. He said Hackett was in a brightly colored jumpsuit and had $1,500 cash bail. According to the warden, Hackett climbed a fence, became entangled in razor wire, moved onto a roof where repair work was underway, then jumped from the roof and was taken back into custody on prison property. The warden said officers used pepper spray and physical restraint during the response, and two officers who entered the area to recover the inmate received minor injuries; Lieutenant Diario suffered a sprained ankle, and CO Robinson returned without serious injury.

Warden Gordon credited new equipment and training with shortening response time and limiting harm. "When we saw it unfold, you could see how calm my COs were. They weren't panicking," he said. He also noted that an officer overrode automated roof camera tracking to focus on the inmate, which aided the response.

The warden described near-term projects still in progress: his fence intrusion detection (PID) system was about 95% complete with expected finish in mid-October, additional yard repairs are planned and the state Department of Corrections (DOC) will conduct a three-day security and threat assessment across all shifts. He told the board the DOC visit was requested to identify any remaining weaknesses: "It's not the knowns. It's the unknowns. So if they can bring forward any of the unknowns or some of the weaknesses ... then we know where we need to focus our next round of improvements," he said.

Board members praised staff. Commissioner Rose said the staff "handled themselves so well" and singled out CO Robinson, while another board member said staff "didn't escalate" during the incident, noting a sergeant had ordered responders to calm down once the inmate was in custody. Warden Gordon said the incident had been a test of the system and that it had worked: "So I'm happy about that."

Two nearby residents who spoke during public comment told the board the additional information and outreach had improved trust. "Trust was lost prior… Trust has very much been rebuilt," said Stephanie Hoopman of Pocopson Township. Linda Moore, also of Pocopson Township, thanked the county and township communications for timely updates and asked about alternative barrier materials and methods to reduce future injuries and the need to restring razor wire after an incident.

Warden Gordon said some yards will be recommended for enclosure and that enclosing interior yards could limit climbable surfaces; he recommended closing yards where appropriate and emphasized continued review and improvements: "We are never going to stop improving that facility. There's no stop point. Tweaks here, tweaks there."

The board received the update; no formal policy or funding decisions were made at the Sept. 22 meeting. Minutes from the Aug. 27 meeting and the day's agenda were approved at the start of the session and the meeting adjourned after public comment.