One of the most important roles of state government is to provide adequate safety and security for the citizens. Law enforcement at all levels must have the tools they need get the job done. Budget shortfalls in recent years have severely impacted our abilities to fund such needs. With an improving state economy it is important that we now focus on providing additional dollars to better equip and pay our public safety employees.
At the state level SLED and the Highway Patrol are at the forefront and they play a vital and important role in public safety. Like all state agencies budget cuts and fewer pay raises or promotions have affected them. Fortunately the Governor has proposed across the board pay raises for all law enforcement agencies including SLED and the Highway Patrol. I’m confident the Legislature will include these raises in their final budget.
While this is needed and will help, we should not neglect taking a closer look at the needs of one agency in particular, the SC Department of Corrections. More specifically we must consider special pay raises for state correctional officers.
Because they work outside of public view correctional officers are often overlooked or forgotten. Most of us rarely think about the vital role they play in keeping our communities safe. I have personally visited several prisons and observed correctional officers on the job. I can say first-hand that they deserve our deep respect, appreciation and above all, increased support.
Unfortunately pay for correctional officers has not kept pace with other law enforcement professionals. In fact at current pay levels correctional officers working to support his family often qualifies for public assistance. With a starting pay of just $20,645 a state correctional officer with a spouse and two children is eligible to receive food stamps. For this reason it is not uncommon for some officers to work other part-time jobs just to keep their heads above water.
It is very difficult to recruit and retain quality people as correctional officers. The turnover rate for newly hired correctional officers is very high. In 2004 nearly 60% of the officers hired quit within just a few months. Many of these trained officers left the state system to work for higher pay at county and municipal facilities. This costs the state a great deal of money for training in addition to the lost manpower.
The vacancy rate for correctional officers is perpetually high. In many cases full staffing at some prisons is never achieved. This represents a genuinely dangerous public safety concern. To address this we should provide special incentives to attract and retain good correctional officers. In addition to increased pay, opportunities for anniversary bonuses and special merit increases should be available.
Another idea would be to allow current officers to work part-time on other shifts to help fill the gaps and provide opportunities for extra earnings. Most officers work 12-hour shifts on a three or four day rotation. Rather than work an extra job, many would jump at an opportunity to make extra money working in a familiar setting on a regular day off.
Unlike other law enforcement professionals, correctional officers have regular, constant contact with known criminals. They perform a very dangerous and often thankless job. Safety and security are their primary mission and most correctional officers are very good at what they do. It is time for the state to step forward and show these genuine watchdogs our respect and appreciation for a job well done.
At the state level SLED and the Highway Patrol are at the forefront and they play a vital and important role in public safety. Like all state agencies budget cuts and fewer pay raises or promotions have affected them. Fortunately the Governor has proposed across the board pay raises for all law enforcement agencies including SLED and the Highway Patrol. I’m confident the Legislature will include these raises in their final budget.
While this is needed and will help, we should not neglect taking a closer look at the needs of one agency in particular, the SC Department of Corrections. More specifically we must consider special pay raises for state correctional officers.
Because they work outside of public view correctional officers are often overlooked or forgotten. Most of us rarely think about the vital role they play in keeping our communities safe. I have personally visited several prisons and observed correctional officers on the job. I can say first-hand that they deserve our deep respect, appreciation and above all, increased support.
Unfortunately pay for correctional officers has not kept pace with other law enforcement professionals. In fact at current pay levels correctional officers working to support his family often qualifies for public assistance. With a starting pay of just $20,645 a state correctional officer with a spouse and two children is eligible to receive food stamps. For this reason it is not uncommon for some officers to work other part-time jobs just to keep their heads above water.
It is very difficult to recruit and retain quality people as correctional officers. The turnover rate for newly hired correctional officers is very high. In 2004 nearly 60% of the officers hired quit within just a few months. Many of these trained officers left the state system to work for higher pay at county and municipal facilities. This costs the state a great deal of money for training in addition to the lost manpower.
The vacancy rate for correctional officers is perpetually high. In many cases full staffing at some prisons is never achieved. This represents a genuinely dangerous public safety concern. To address this we should provide special incentives to attract and retain good correctional officers. In addition to increased pay, opportunities for anniversary bonuses and special merit increases should be available.
Another idea would be to allow current officers to work part-time on other shifts to help fill the gaps and provide opportunities for extra earnings. Most officers work 12-hour shifts on a three or four day rotation. Rather than work an extra job, many would jump at an opportunity to make extra money working in a familiar setting on a regular day off.
Unlike other law enforcement professionals, correctional officers have regular, constant contact with known criminals. They perform a very dangerous and often thankless job. Safety and security are their primary mission and most correctional officers are very good at what they do. It is time for the state to step forward and show these genuine watchdogs our respect and appreciation for a job well done.
