Outgoing Commissioner Peter McLaughlin initially proposed cutting 9 Detention Deputies from the jail! Apparently assaults on Corrections/Detention Deputy staff recently in the news don't matter. After all those years in Office you'd think he realized the DOC requires a staff to inmate ratio.
"Much of the overtime expenses comes from jail staffing when inmate populations run high. While the numbers have declined in recent months, the jail had record inmate levels last spring.
“The study found that the jail is now down to its functional capacity and we can keep those numbers down,” said McLaughlin. “The new budget numbers reflects that we don’t need funding for a full jail.”
The number of jail beds available daily is 755, and Stanek said the jail staffs for 680 inmates. On Monday there were 780 inmates, so he had to force deputies to work overtime “because you just can’t say the inn is closed.” - Star Tribune
I love McLaughlin's quote that, "we can keep those numbers down...we don't need funding for a full jail." Is the Board planning on putting a cap on arrests in Hennepin County?
For years I've advocated for the Jail to be staffed 100 % by Detention Deputies. Much money could be saved by eliminating the use of higher paid Licensed Deputies and their higher rate overtime in the jail. Not to mention training and POST costs.
Incoming Sheriff Hutch wants the Board to hold off on cuts until he gets the lay of the land.
This will be an interesting fight. Both the new County Board and the Minneapolis City Council seem to be farther to the political Left. They both seem to be anti-law enforcement.
Something to watch. The Sheriff Office is a Constitutional Office which requires funding. Not like the tent city local government has no trouble throwing money at.
http://www.startribune.com/sheriff-rich-stanek-irked-lame-duck-county-commissioner-cutting-budget/501933522/
1 comment:
SWERVERS!!!
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