Recruitment, retention continue to plague DOCCS

ALBANY | As correctional and law enforcement agencies across the country struggle to recruit and retain officers, a resignation letter sent by an eight-year veteran corrections officer at Five Points Correctional Facility highlights what she detailed as a number of issues that led to her resignation and what she feels will lead to a number of other staff resigning from many issues that originated from the HALT Act legislation in April of 2022. In her resignation letter dated July 13 and addressed to the superintendent of the facility, Jessica Coughlin detailed the mental, physical and emotional toll working in a prison in this era of weakened disciplinary systems and low staffing levels that force many officers into mandatory overtime on top of their regular 40-hour workweek. The officer speaks about new programs that resulted from the HALT Act that rewards bad inmate behavior and inmates who are well aware the mockery of a disciplinary system that exists now when staff are attacked by inmates. The officer also makes mention of the rise in alcohol and substance abuse, suicide attempts, domestic violence and divorce among officers as a result of the immense pressure and stress they are currently under. In 2022, assaults of staff rose 31 percent from the previous year after HALT was implemented on April 1, 2022. As staffing issues mounted and assaults skyrocketed, the department began to follow a mounting trend nationwide of officers retiring early or resigning from their positions. In many correctional agencies across the country, the annual attrition rate has risen to between 20 and 30 percent, with some agencies reaching the 50 percent level. Departments simply can't recruit and train new officers to replace those leaving in a timely manner, leaving many departments to struggle with increased violence, staffing shortages, burnout and low morale that former Officer Coughlin described in her resignation letter. The attrition rate at DOCCS exceeds 100 officers in one month with the combination of retirements and resignations. In Five Points alone, over 100 officers resigned in an 18-month period. Recruitment classes, which take eight weeks to train, are nearly half that number in size, causing a severe staffing shortage and mandatory overtime for a majority of officers in the 44 prisons across the state. The staff shortages have also drawn the attention of State Senators and Assemblyman who have long supported the hard work of the men and women of NYSCOPBA and now are calling on their colleagues to immediately address the ongoing violence and amend the HALT Act. "The policies and so-called reforms passed by Albany Democrats continue to create a dangerous and unstable environment within our state's correctional facilities. Sadly, it is no surprise the HALT Act is leading to retention and recruitment problems. Since the implementation of HALT, inmate attacks on Corrections Officers and inmate attacks on other inmates have increased dramatically. We must have the backs of the men and women who protect our communities- whether it is inside or outside our prison walls. I will continue to support a full repeal of the HALT ACT and fight to change the laws that do nothing to hold criminals accountable or ensure public safety," said Sen. Pam Helming. Assemblyman Phil Palmesano said "The words of Jessica Coughlin speak to the unfortunate truth of the increased danger, violence, hardships and challenges that every one of our brave and dedicated correctional officers face each and every day inside our correctional facilities. Their job was very dangerous before HALT was passed and implemented. The danger and violence they face has compounded exponentially since the implementation of HALT. The continued embrace of HALT by the governor and my Democrat colleagues in the Assembly and Senate, coupled with their refusal to provide the necessary staffing, tools and resources needed to assist and protect our correctional officers, has created a dangerous, 'powder-keg' environment inside our prisons. Not only have correctional officers been severely restricted in the use of this important safety tool to separate the most violent and dangerous inmates from the rest of the inmate population, but they continue to be burnt out with mandated overtime and inadequate staffing levels. It is long past due for the governor and my Democrat colleagues in the legislature to stop rewarding violence and start protecting staff inside our correctional facilities. Equally as important, it is long past due for the governor and my Democrat colleagues to start putting the interests, well-being and safety of our correctional officers over the interests of dangerous and violent murderers, cop killers and child rapists." Approaching the 52nd anniversary of the end of the Attica Riots on Sept. 13, 1971, and the 11 employees who died in the riots, many officers fear a repeat of that deadly riot as staffing reaches a breaking point in many facilities. Officers who are overworked and facilities that are understaffed are vulnerable to the type of uprising that occurred on Sept. 9, 1971. Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President said "We want to thank Officer Coughlin and our brothers and sisters who worked alongside us that had resigned or retired to put their families first over coddling convicts. Nobody is ever prepared to spend days and weeks without seeing their loved ones, especially while watching inmates spend time with theirs. They will always be a part of our family and we wish them all the best. The members of the legislature that supported the HALT Act failed to consult with any officer or sergeant, who are the front-line employees, about how this act could affect day-to-day operations inside New York State prisons, specifically in our region. "Instead, they passed a bill that only empowered the convicted felons, with no regard to the safety of wellbeing of anyone working or living inside the walls and fences. Clearly, the legislature thinks they know how to run the Department of Corrections better than DOCCS itself. At this point, everyone walking into these prisons are wondering if they are going to make it home to their families. What's even worse is that they all feel that certain members of the legislature, specifically the ones who supported HALT, don't care if they get killed serving the citizens of New York. Something has to change, not next year, now. Our members deserve their attention and support, give them the resources to do their jobs, and start protecting us. We have families too, and the lack of dialogue regarding HALT screams certain members of the legislature couldn't care less."

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Recruitment, retention continue to plague DOCCS

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