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Union: Staffing shortage means more assaults on jail officers in Baltimore Union: Staffing shortage means more assaults on jail officers in Baltimore
(about 1 hour later)
Union officials on Thursday blamed Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration for failing to adequately staff state-run correctional facilities in Baltimore, arguing that a shortage of personnel has caused an increase in assaults on corrections officers in recent months at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center. Union officials Thursday blamed Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration for failing to adequately staff state-run correctional facilities in Baltimore, arguing that a shortage of personnel has caused an increase in assaults on corrections officers in recent months at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center.
Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Maryland Council 3, said there have been 15 assaults on officers at the facility in the past two months. Normally, he said, the center records one or two assaults every month. Patrick Moran, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland Council 3, said there have been 15 assaults on officers at the facility in the past two months. Normally, he said, the center records one or two assaults every month.
Moran blamed the staffing shortage and the increase in violence on the Republican governor’s decision last year to close the Baltimore City men’s detention center, a Civil War-era facility that some advocates had labeled one of the worst in the country. Moran blamed the staffing shortage and the increase in violence on the Republican governor’s decision last year to close the Baltimore men’s detention center, a Civil War-era facility that some advocates had labeled one of the worst in the country.
[Hogan closing scandal-plagued men’s facility at Baltimore jail immediately][Hogan closing scandal-plagued men’s facility at Baltimore jail immediately]
“It was a top-down strategy, and unfortunately the officers are paying the consequences for it on a daily basis,” Moran said.“It was a top-down strategy, and unfortunately the officers are paying the consequences for it on a daily basis,” Moran said.
An official with the Maryland Department of Corrections and Public Safety denied the charge. Gary McLhinney, the department’s director of professional standards, said the state-run Baltimore City jail complex does have a staffing shortage, but added that the department uses overtime to meet each shift’s staffing levels. An official with the Maryland Department of Corrections and Public Safety denied the charge. Gary McLhinney, the department’s director of professional standards, said the state-run Baltimore jail complex does have a staffing shortage but added that the department uses overtime to meet each shift’s staffing levels.
“The staffing problem is something that we inherited,” McLhinney said. “It’s been a problem recruiting and retaining qualified correction officers. . . . Our charge is not just to hire anybody, but to hire qualified candidates. We don’t want to end up with the problems we’ve had in the past. We’d rather be a few bodies short than hire the wrong people.”“The staffing problem is something that we inherited,” McLhinney said. “It’s been a problem recruiting and retaining qualified correction officers. . . . Our charge is not just to hire anybody, but to hire qualified candidates. We don’t want to end up with the problems we’ve had in the past. We’d rather be a few bodies short than hire the wrong people.”
[Corrections chief wants to crack down on who the system hires][Corrections chief wants to crack down on who the system hires]
According to a January memo obtained by The Washington Post, management at the Baltimore center asked the department to change the center’s staffing plan. “We have asked for two officers per unit, but can ask again,” the note states.According to a January memo obtained by The Washington Post, management at the Baltimore center asked the department to change the center’s staffing plan. “We have asked for two officers per unit, but can ask again,” the note states.
The department about three months ago launched a recruiting campaign and is working with the union and military recruiters on the effort, McLhinney said.The department about three months ago launched a recruiting campaign and is working with the union and military recruiters on the effort, McLhinney said.
McLhinney said assaults on officers declined statewide by 25 percent from 2014 to 2015. He did not have more recent monthly totals of assaults statewide or the number of assaults against officers at individual facilities. And he said he does not know whether there has been an increase in assaults at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center, one of four facilities that absorbed inmates from the shuttered men’s jail. McLhinney said assaults on officers declined statewide by 25 percent from 2014 to 2015. He did not have more recent monthly totals of assaults statewide or the number of assaults against officers at individual facilities. And he said he does not know whether there has been an increase in assaults at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center, one of four facilities that absorbed inmates from the shuttered men’s jail.
If there has been a spike, McLhinney said, it could be attributed to a new system the state started using to gather the data. Under the new system, McLhinney said, the department takes reports on every assault on an officer. He said the previous administration left it up to the officer on whether a report was taken.If there has been a spike, McLhinney said, it could be attributed to a new system the state started using to gather the data. Under the new system, McLhinney said, the department takes reports on every assault on an officer. He said the previous administration left it up to the officer on whether a report was taken.
“We will not tolerate assaults on our staff,” McLhinney said. “If we have a problem, with an inmate or detainee, we put them in proper housing. In the past couple of months, that has meant shipping them to Western Maryland.” “We will not tolerate assaults on our staff,” McLhinney said. “If we have a problem with an inmate or detainee, we put them in proper housing. In the past couple of months, that has meant shipping them to Western Maryland.”