LOUIVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With more than 100 open positions at Louisville Metro Corrections, the president of Louisville's Fraternal Order of Police/Corrections said the conditions at the jail are putting staff in harm's way.
The jail in downtown Louisville has hundreds of inmates with only two corrections officers on duty at certain times. And FOP Lodge 77 President Daniel Johnson said that's putting lives at risk.
"You're going to manage 400-plus people in an area or a floor — they don't want to be there, right?" he said. "Every single one of them want to leave, and then you're in charge of making sure they follow all the rules."
Johnson said staffing is a major issue. Metro Corrections Director Jerry Collins declined to address the staffing issues in person but did send this written statement, saying the jail is "currently operating with 72 fewer sworn staff members than our budgeted allocation." He added another 45 staff members are needed across three shifts.
Johnson said long hours go hand in hand with staff shortages.
"Every officer that works, especially for security areas, they're working 56-hour work weeks, minimum," Johnson said. "And then, oftentimes, people are going beyond that, because, for one, the extra overtime kind of helps with their family and everything like that. And the other thing is just a sense of responsibility."
Johnson, a correctional officer has been with the agency for 20 years.
"There's not a whole lot of glory that comes with it," he said. "It's one of those jobs. It's very much needed but it's often not highlighted."
Department of Corrections administrators are very aware of the staffing shortage and are planning planning four or five academy classes. Safety in the jail has improved significantly, leaders said, and the officer-to-inmate ratio is 1-21 or 1-25 on most days. Officials said that's the best ratio in the state.
"The facility has experienced a reduction in deaths and overdoses compared to previous years," Johnson said.
He also said, despite the staffing issues, inmate participation in rehabilitation programs is at an all time high.
"We're the largest detox facility in the state," Johnson said. "We're dealing with a lot of medical issues on top of it, because there's nowhere else for them to go. And it's a lot to ask somebody to come work 60 hours a week, be away from your family for that long."
Adding staff is not going to happen overnight, Johnson added.
"It is a challenging environment," he said. "You're dealing with the community's most challenging people."
All corrections workers are not required to work 16 hours of overtime, and some people voluntarily choose the overtime hours.
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