Multiple federal agencies converged on MDC Brooklyn, the violence-plagued federal jail where Sean “Diddy” Combs is being held, to conduct what federal prison officials would only call an “interagency operation” Monday.
The federal Bureau of Prisons refused to offer specifics on the operation, calling it “preplanned” in a statement Monday and insisting “there is no active threat.”
Horrific conditions and severe understaffing have long been the norm at the Sunset Park lockup, which saw two stabbing murders over six weeks this summer. The Daily News has chronicled a string of violent incidents and instances of medical mistreatment over the past year.
“In furtherance of our intensive efforts to improve conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), in Brooklyn, NY, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and other law enforcement partners are conducting an interagency operation designed to achieve our shared goal of maintaining a safe environment for both our employees and the incarcerated individuals housed at MDC Brooklyn,” the BOP statement reads.
“In an effort to maintain the safety and security of all personnel inside the facility and the integrity of this operation, we are unable to provide additional information at this time.”
Last month the BOP announced several changes at the jail, including a significant spike in correction officer pay meant to reverse a severe staffing shortage. In August, the bureau’s director, Colette Peters, announced she’d tasked an “urgent action team” to MDC Brooklyn.
The inmate population at the jail continues to drop, with 1,176 on Monday compared to about 1,580 in January.