Sheriff Bryan Murphy is doing everything he can to encourage careers in local law enforcement.
He’s offering walk-in interviews next week at the jail. He’s lowered the age to work in the jail from 21 to 18. And, after reviewing pay and benefits in other counties, he’s asked county commissioners to allow correctional officers to change to a different retirement plan.
Though a staffing shortage hasn’t reached a crisis point, Murphy is concerned.
“It’s hard to get anybody interested in law enforcement and public safety. It’s a struggle across the nation,” he said.
Currently, Murphy is looking to hire two deputies and four correctional officers for the jail.
The jail typically has a staff of 14 to look after 50-60 inmates. That level of staffing allows at least two staff members per shift.
Murphy calls the current staffing level “minimal,” with just enough officers to meet the threshold of two per shift. However, it requires a lot of overtime hours to do so.
“With overtime, I worry about burnout,” Murphy said. “In this type of job, you don’t want to work someone too hard. It’s not very physically demanding but it is mentally taxing.”
Murphy and his staff will offer walk-in interviews between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, July 17, and Wednesday, July 19. Those who are interested can show up, fill out an application and immediately have an interview.
To work as a correctional officer, you must be 18 or older, a high school graduate or equivalent and pass a background investigation. That means you can’t have any felony or domestic violence convictions. Murphy’s office will do pre-hire and random drug screenings.
He also asks potential hires to undergo a psychological evaluation. That is required for deputies before they attend the state’s law enforcement training academy but typically isn’t done for jail employees in other counties.
“It helps us hire better corrections officers and maybe pick up on things we didn’t see in the interview,” Murphy said.
So what makes a good officer?
“A good problem solver is the best person,” Murphy said. “Someone with a good temperament. Someone with a good, level head who can think through things that are thrown at them without getting flustered. Someone who wants to contribute or give back to their community.
“There are a lot of people who can do that, they just haven’t been put in position to see their full potential.”
