I want to recognize a particular segment of our employees who do an excellent job everyday meeting the needs of those individuals who are confined in the Bradley County jail.

Correction officers for the most part spend their entire 12-hour workday inside the jail where they are in close proximity with those who are incarcerated by the orders of a court. This can be very stressful and it requires special traits to work within restrictions the job requires.   

Correction officers serve in a variety of positions throughout the jail.  There are those who work as intake officers in the booking area where individuals are processed when they are brought into the jail.  Others are movement officers, escorting inmates from one area of the jail to another.  There are also pod officers who are stationed inside the day room where they can interact with the inmates in that cell block and monitor their behavior.

The Bradley County jail has a capacity of 408 inmates.  Tennessee Correction Institute conducted a staffing analysis of our facility which said when we reach capacity we will need a staff of 92 correction deputies. We have exceeded our capacity several times, primarily when we have a number of people admitted to the jail over a weekend  who cannot bond out until they go before the judge on Monday morning.   

At the present time we have 86 correction officer positions leaving us six short of state’s required level of 92.  I have asked for additional funds in our budget next year to  bring us up to where TCI says we should be.

As Sheriff I am responsible for the proper operation of the jail within TCI’s guidelines. They say it will take 92 correction officers to ensure the safety and security of this facility, around-the-clock seven days a week, so it is imperative we increase staffing to avoid potential problems that not having the required number of correction deputies can create.     

Our facility at present meets or exceeds each of the state’s minimum requirements for county jails of this size and has been certified by the state.   

I also believe steps must be taken to reduce the population of the jail.  I have recommended a bunkhouse style facility that could be constructed beside the Judicial Complex to house non-violent misdemeanor offenders. This would be a low-cost option to free up high-cost jail space to provide additional capacity.  I presented this plan to the county commission this spring and await further discussion on the proposal.   

This appears to be the best way we can provide additional space to house inmates at the least cost to taxpayers.