The Department of Justice will investigate the Bureau of Prisons' response to power and heating issues at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Photo by Jim.henderson/Wikimedia Commons

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice will investigate the Bureau of Prisons' response to last week's power outage and heating issues at a Brooklyn, New York, detention center.

The Office of the Inspector General has been tapped to lead the investigation, the Department of Justice said Wednesday in a media release.


"The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) are committed to the safe and humane living and working conditions of all inmates and employees," the release said.

Many of the 1,654 people incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center spent last weekend cold and in the dark following a partial power outage that occurred following a freezing of pipes and a blown electrical panel.

When word of the conditions spread, protesters congregated around the building with some attempting to enter the center to aid those inside and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio delivered generators and hundreds of blankets.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo described the conditions as "a violation of human decency and dignity" and called on the justice department to launch an investigation.

Prisoners are human beings. Let's treat them that way.



I'm calling on the @TheJusticeDept to immediately investigate the circumstances at the #MDC in Brooklyn. New York stands ready to provide any support necessary to keep the heat, hot water and electricity running. pic.twitter.com/aoRWrG7X5p — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 3, 2019

The justice department watchdog will determine if the prison bureau had responded appropriately to the heat and electrical failures at the center and whether it has adequate contingency plans in place to deal with similar issues in the future, the statement said.

It will also investigate the facility's infrastructure and its emergency response plan, it said, adding that the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons "will continue to work to ensure that MDC Brooklyn meets all required standards."