STATEMENT FROM FAMILY OF ANDREW LANSING
Andrew Lansing was a beloved husband, father, brother, co-worker and friend. He was a dedicated officer and veteran who embodied service, protection, and making a positive difference. A man who always served his country; a man who always put others before himself; and a man who did everything by the book.​
Andy’s death has left a void in the lives of many, but to his wife, children and siblings, this is a chasm they will be forced to stare into each and every day, for the rest of their lives. Christmas morning for Andy’s family is forever changed. A day that is supposed to be filled with joy, will forever be tainted with the worst loss imaginable.
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He was a man who drove hours with his wife every weekend to see their son at college; a man that called his siblings every Saturday without fail, just to see how they were and if they needed anything; and a man that, even when facing hardship himself, would put aside his own well-being to help others.
Whether it was giving up his own PTO to fellow officers who had been injured and had run out of leave time, or donating money to neighbors who needed it—Andy always put others first.
​I personally knew Andy for the last ten years. While I did not know him well, I would echo what so many others have recounted. He was someone who always asked “How are you doing?” and “What’s new in your life?” What separated Andy from others, though, is that he truly cared about the answer. He cared about you, whether you were a huge part of his life or a small one.
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The worst thing about this tragedy is that it should have never happened. The State has the tools and money (our tax dollars) to provide officers with a safe environment in which to work. This is what makes his loss so unbearable—there were opportunities to take action and protect him. There were warnings given to the State by countless officers. Yet, the State refused to act.
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Staffing shortages left Andy and his colleagues without the necessary backup required. This isn’t a police officer stopping one person in a vehicle asking for backup. This is one man alone inside of a prison that is filled with hundreds of violent offenders.
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Alarm systems—fundamental safeguards designed to get immediate assistance—were old and faulty, rendering them useless. This alarm system did not work Christmas morning, which allowed the attack to continue.
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Policies intended to prioritize safety, such as a policy requiring the mandatory escorting of inmates, were disregarded by administration. Inmates convicted of violent offenses are able to go where they want without supervision or monitoring.
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These issues, along with many others, have been well-known and repeatedly shared with the State by countless officers out of fear for their lives, yet the State refuses to correct them, putting its own employees in perilous and precarious situations daily. All of this runs contrary to the State prison system’s number one core value of taking care of staff, and it is the opposite of prioritizing staff safety, security and overall wellness, which is routinely touted by the director as her main focus.
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The State’s knowledge that attacks on officers are certain to occur, and its intentional refusal to protect them with that knowledge, makes the State just as responsible for them.
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Andy’s family wants to prevent another wife, another husband, or another child from having to endure this kind of loss. No family should ever have to fear for the safety of their loved one every time they clock into work, not knowing if they will see them again or not. While nothing can bring Andy back, his wife, son and family will continue to honor his memory by advocating for the safety of his fellow officers and hope the State listens.
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The State needs to admit it failed Andy and take immediate action to prevent more officer deaths. It’s that simple.
