Two inmates cost Arizona $3.6 million during their 15-day hostage standoff at a state prison, reports the Arizona Republic. The total included thousands of hours of overtime and hundreds of takeout dinners for waiting officers. It also covered $49,000 for snipers to practice shooting through 37 windowpanes and $26,000 in damage to the tower seized by the inmates. The cost of the standoff is about the price of housing 180 inmates for a year.
A special state insurance policy is expected to cover all or most of the bill. “It took what it took,” said Cam Hunter, corrections spokeswoman, referring to the costs. “It took a large-scale effort in terms of personnel for tactical, negotiation, intelligence, and command expertise.”
Snipers were armed and ready. Teams practiced and prepared to storm the tower. Hostage negotiators tried to work deals with the captors. Ambulance and fire personnel were on standby. Extra corrections officers staffed the prison, which was on lockdown through the standoff.
Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0402standoff-costs02.html