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Veteran Mich. corrections officer dies from COVID-19

Randy Rumler worked his entire 24-year career at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility

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Officer Randy Rumler.

Photo/Michigan Department of Corrections Honor Guard

By Sarah Calams

ADRIAN, Mich. — A two-decade veteran Michigan corrections officer has died after battling COVID-19.

The Detroit News reported that Randy Rumler, who worked his entire 24-year career at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility, was one of 383 staffers to contract the novel coronavirus, including 31 others at his facility. He is the third MDOC staffer to die after contracting COVID-19.

The facility, according to the report, has been used as a “step-down unit” for those who tested positive for COVID-19 and no longer have it, but aren’t ready to return to their home facility yet.

Inmates and advocates have expressed concerns that the department introduced COVID-19 by using it as a step-down unit after the facility went from 55 infections to 110 in one day.

A total of 730 inmates at the facility have tested postive, and four have died from COVID-19. There are currently 423 inmates in the step-down units.

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