BY VINAYA SAKSENA

PAWTUCKET — An East Providence man who was undergoing tests for recruitment as a correctional officer at the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls died this weekend following a training exercise on Saturday, of a cause that remained unknown Monday.

Jamal E. Jackson, a 30-year-old East Providence man, was one of roughly twenty correction officer candidates undergoing a series of standard physical tests during training when he suffered an unknown ailment and subsequently died, according to a statement released by the Wyatt Detention Facility spokesperson Dante Bellini Jr. this weekend. The cause of death had not been determined as of Monday afternoon, according to a single-sentence statement from the State Medical Examiner’s office.
“The cause of death for Jamal Jackson, a 30-year-old male from East Providence, Rhode Island, who expired at Memorial Hospital on April 19, 2008, is pending further studies,” the statement read.
According to information provided by Bellini, Jackson had successfully completed a series of standard tests, which included a sit-and-reach, sit-ups, push-ups and a 1.5 mile run. It was after the run that Jackson allegedly told Wyatt staffers of feeling dizzy. While two staffers were tending to Jackson and conversing with him, he “suddenly became unresponsive,” according to the statement released by Bellini.
According to Bellini, Wyatt staffers immediately placed a 911 call, which Central Falls Fire Chief Rene Coutu said was received at 10:50 a.m.
Fire and rescue units responded to the track area where the training was taking place, which Coutu said was part of the Blackstone Valley Bike Path. However, they were ultimately unable to save Jackson.
“They performed al that they’re trained to do for a cardiac arrest and transported him to Memorial Hospital,” Coutu said. “They did what they could.”
Jackson was pronounced dead at 11:31 a.m., according to information provided by Bellini. The medical examiner’s office had not released results of an autopsy as of press time. However, Bellini indicated that the Wyatt Detention Facility had a policy of making sure that all candidates were in sufficiently good health to participate in the training exercises used at the facility before their training could begin, and that the information had to come from a physician who knew the applicant well.
“The entire process that the Wyatt goes through is exactly the same as the Rhode Island Police Academy,” Bellini said. “Every single candidate must have medical clearance from their personal physician.”
The statement released by Bellini also included a message pertaining specifically to Jackson’s family.
“The Central Falls Detention Facility Board of Directors, Warden Wayne Salisbury and the entire Wyatt Detention Facility community offer their thoughts and prayers to the Jackson family,” the statement read. “Out of respect for the family no further comment will be made by the Wyatt at this time.”