Sheriff: Bristol County has made strides in hiring correctional officers, reducing forced OT
DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WPRI) — The Bristol County House of Correction has dramatically increased its staffing, adding more than 90 new officers in the last year, Sheriff Paul Heroux highlighted on Monday.
Heroux noted that during his 2022 campaign for sheriff, he found from the family and friends of Bristol County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) employees that morale among them was low, with forced overtime being a key factor.
During that time, the department was having trouble with staffing due to "attrition outpacing recruitment," according to Heroux.
However, he said that trend has changed.
In the four classes prior to Heroux's tenure, BCSO recruited 41 correctional officers (COs) for the academy. Since he took office in early 2023, it has recruited 132 COs, resulting in a net gain of 93 new officers.
RELATED: Bristol County jail undergoing renovations to prevent inmate suicides
Heroux emphasized that while he is not "declaring 'Mission Accomplished," significant progress has been made.
Correction Officer Academy HiredJan. - Feb. 202213June 20228Sept. - Oct. 202213Jan. 20237Apr. 202327Sept. - Oct. 202331March 202434Sept. 202439
To mitigate forced overtime, he said they've implemented several initiatives including appointing a full-time recruiter, increasing the recruitment bonus and offering accelerated pay.
Additionally, he said the planned closure of the Ash Street Jail in New Bedford is expected to return 40 to 50 COs to the Dartmouth facility.
MORE: Heroux gives tour of Ash Street Jail after proposing closure
Heroux explained that there are typically two COs per housing unit during the first and second shifts, and one CO during the third shift. He plans to adjust the staffing from the current 2-2-1 to 3-3-2 in an effort to "make housing units safer, provide COs with more support, and improve morale."
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