Thursday, August 03, 2017

STAFFING EMERGENCY AT KANSAS PRISON

by Bob Walsh

The Secretary of the Kansas DOC has announced a staffing emergency at the El Dorado Correctional Facility and the staff are now working mandatory 12 hour shifts, which often turn into 16 hour shifts, to the great displeasure of the correctional officer's union.

Secretary Joe Norwood made his emergency statement in a response to a union grievance. The DOCs agreement with the Kansas Organization of State Employees allows mandatory overtime and extended shifts during declared emergencies. Now they have one.

The El Dorado facility is just east of Wichita and currently down about 80 staff. In early July they were down 94 so the situation is improving, although slowly. The DOC has resorted to blanket mailings to homes in the area in attempts to recruit prison staff.

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