Correction employees voice safety concerns to county commissioners
Volusia County Department of Corrections employees are joining a long list of jail workers across the county who say they’re overworked and dangerously underpaid.
About a dozen people showed up to the county council meeting Tuesday morning to speak about issues they’re dealing with.
The group claimed there are 70 open spots, with more staff planning to leave. Officers explained that most posts within the jail are being manned by one person. This includes high-risk areas where there would typically be two.
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They also said one officer has had to transport up to 30 inmates alone when they’re legally only supposed to be with up to 10 at a time.
“I really don’t believe anything is going to happen until one of us dies and more than likely it’s going to be a female. It’s a lot easier to overtake me than it is to overtake all of them,” said one employee.
Staff demanded pay raises and incentives to retain people. Last year, the county offered a $2,000 retention bonus to anyone who committed to two years on the job.
County commissioners don’t have the ability to respond to individual public comments at meetings, but Chair Jeff Brower did make a short statement.
“We are all quick to say thank you for your service. It sounds trite at this point, but we do thank you and this council has heard you,” Brower told the group.
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A county spokesperson also sent Eyewitness News a statement:
“We greatly value our correctional officers and are committed to the safety and security of our staff and inmates by rigorously implementing and continually enhancing our safety protocols in accordance with Florida Model Jail Standards. In addition, aggressive recruiting campaigns, an emphasis on promoting from within, and a starting rate of pay that is competitive with similar-sized counties allow us to combat the nationwide shortage of correctional officers.”
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