NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WHAS11) -- Law enforcement officials in Floyd County, Indiana are dealing with a shortage of corrections officers within the Floyd County Jail. Difficulty recruiting and high turnover leave officials desperate for more applicants. Benefits have been expanded, and by January 2019 pay will have increased by $10,000 since 2015.
Captain David Furman, the jail commander, said women are particularly needed since they are harder to recruit. Female corrections officers are outnumbered, and as a result, have very little flexibility with shift scheduling and vacations. A certain number of female officers must always be present a the jail in order to hand the female inmates coming in.
Furman said he understands the reservations many have about considering a career as a corrections officer, but he said once new officers get over the initial "shock factor" they often find many positive aspects they were not expecting.
"Within these walls, as far as staff, it becomes a small family," Furman said.
Furman also said many find great purpose in offering second chances to the inmates they work with on a daily basis.
"I encourage my staff to talk to the inmates," Furman said. "Everyone in jail is not bad, they're just people who've made bad decisions. In the jail itself, you can have a bigger impact on these people to tell them, them 'hey, you can do good. You don't have to come to jail.' For the most part, we can see the people that we change and we'll see them on the street and they'll say 'I appreciate what you said to me in the jail or what you've done for me.'"
Furman said applicants will be put through an agility test and will receive four weeks of training once hired to make sure they are ready for the job. Applications can be submitted on the department's website.
►Contact reporter Rob Harris at rjharris@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@robharristv) and Facebook.