New Metro Corrections director questioned by council members

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The head of Louisville Metro Corrections spent part of Wednesday afternoon answering questions from Metro Council.

Jerry Collins, the director of Metro Corrections, has been on the job for less than a month.

On Wednesday, he appeared before Louisville Metro Council's Public Safety Committee to answer questions about the status and future of the jail.

However, before the first question was ever asked, Collins was praised for his appearance.

"Director, I just want to say first of all, congratulation and thank you also for wearing a uniform today," said Metro Council President David James, D-6. "As we know, your predecessor didn't do that much. I think it helps with the morale when the officers see you wear a uniform...just like they wear.”

Jerry Collins officially started on April 4, but he is no stranger to Louisville or Metro Corrections.

Collins spent more than 20-years with Metro Corrections before retiring. His next stop was at the head of the Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville.

One of the first questions from council members was the status of the command staff from the previous administration.

"If you could share with us any details about what you're doing about the leadership and if you have made any changes thus far or plan to make any changes in the top leadership," asked Councilwoman Paula McCraney, D-7.

"Except for the two majors, the leadership has changed," said Director Collins. "I brought in my chief of staff from Clark County, David Heacock. "I brought in another retired Major."

Meanwhile, Councilman Mark Fox, D-13, is chair of the public safety committee and explained why he invited Director Collins to attend Wednesday's meeting.

"I felt that it was important for this community to see that there is a new day there," said Fox. "And that we are attempting to do better by not only the people in our custody, but the people in the community, which we are sworn to serve, protect and keep safe."

Some of the ongoing problems at the jail include suicides and a staffing shortage.

As a result, a retired FBI agent has been hired to delve into those issues.

"I think it's important to answer the question of what happened. How did we get so broken and over 100 people short? That's pretty broke," said Fox. "When you're dealing with with a small workforce with such an inundating task, we need to find out what's broken, how it got broken and we need to look at where these things occurred so they don't happen again."