Assemblyman Billy Jones: Governor and DOCCS Need to Act Urgently on Staffing Issues
Billy Jones Press Release 4/10/25 – It has been one month since over 2,000 correction officers were terminated, and I have been working diligently to get the officers who want to return to work back into their respective facilities.
Today, the officers in these facilities are faced with almost daily 12 hour or longer shifts, critical staffing shortages, and continued dangerous working conditions.
The fastest and simplest solution for the State to prevent the brewing safety crisis from getting out of control is to rehire the correction officers who are willing to return to work. Prioritizing those who were let go while on FMLA, sick leave, or other approved time off is critical to bring staff back to these facilities quickly.
Restaffing the facilities also allows civilian workers – who are currently placed in positions that they are often not equipped for – to return to their normal positions and minimize the risks that come with low staff levels. Our civilian workers should not be paying the price for the inadequate staffing levels that the state can quickly resolve. This will also help resume normal programming and other functions within the facilities.
The National Guard members that have been sent to staff facilities were a necessary temporary solution, but it is time for the state to return trained correction officers to their positions to lessen the burden on our state resources. The cost of keeping these members stationed in facilities they are not trained for is far higher than simply returning former corrections officers to their jobs.
On top of the staffing issues, implementing safety measures that ensure all staff can go to work and know that they will return home safe is essential. We have seen far too many instances of dangerous substances getting into facilities and hospitalizing workers. It is beyond time for the state to agree that body and mail scanners are necessary for entry into our correctional facilities.
I have heard repeatedly from current corrections officers that this is an untenable situation. Many officers are already becoming burnt out from overexertion in poor working conditions, and it will only continue to go downhill if something is not done quickly.
It is time for the Governor and DOCCS to see the scale of this issue and act quickly to implement these solutions.
Posted: April 11th, 2025 under General News, Law Enforcement News, Northern NY News, Political News, State Government News, State Legislator News.