Short-Staffed Florida Prisons Consider Calling on the National Guard

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.–The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is experiencing an officer shortage which has led a legislative panel to consider a plan that would activate the Florida National Guard to help at prisons.

A report issued by the Joint Legislative Budget Commission proposes that $31.25 million would be used to cover the costs of activating National Guard members to help alleviate the officer staffing shortage that has resulted in extensive correctional officer overtime.

“In an effort to reduce overtime and provide relief to existing correctional officers, the Florida National Guard members will be activated to assist the FDC at facilities for nine months or until the FDC determines it no longer needs National Guard Assistance,” the report stated.

The report did not specify how many National Guard members could be activated but said their duties will “exclude any direct supervision of inmates, except where such supervision occurs as a normal part of manning control stations or when required in an emergency situation pertaining to safety and security.”

The report went on to say that guard members will provide “temporary relief and act as a support for staff and will provide FDC the additional time and resources it needs to hire and train new staff through “recruitment and retention efforts.”

Florida is no stranger to correctional officer shortages and recently has taken steps such as pay increases to aid in hiring and keeping officers. The shortages have increased overtime and led to fewer supervisors for an increasing number of inmates.

FDC Secretary Rick Dixon told senators in January that the agency had almost 6,000 unfilled correctional officer positions that he referred to as a “significant vacancy rate,” which had affected working conditions.

“Because of the void in the workforce, so, too, the conditions deteriorated and the amount of overtime to work, and the safety aspect has had a significant impact on our agency,” he told legislators in January.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the 2022-2023 budget that allocated sign-on bonuses and pay increases for law enforcement officers throughout the state, which the secretary said was good, but that a more permanent fix is needed.

“With Governor Ron DeSantis’ approval of the 2022-2023 Freedom First Budget, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) received record pay increases to retain and recruit public servants to continue the agency’s crucial public safety mission,” Dixon told The Epoch Times in an email.  “While the historic pay increases have shown early signs of success, this action and partnership will address the officer vacancies on a temporary, short-term basis.”

Florida sheriffs said that activating the National Guard will help their facilities as well.

“The Florida Sheriffs Association supports the request by the Department of Corrections for activation of the Florida National Guard to assist with short-term staffing at some prisons,” Al Nienhuis, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association said in an email. “This will support public safety by ensuring inmates who need to be transferred from local jails after sentencing can be received by the department in a timely and appropriate manner.”

In a previous report from The Epoch Times, a report showed that in August 2021, staff shortages caused the closing of three Florida facilities–Cross City, Baker, and New River correctional institutions, all in north Florida.

The closings had overcrowded other facilities,  making it necessary for inmates to sleep on the floor, according to Republican state Senator Jeff Brandes.

Brandes said in December 2021 that the incarceration rate was 21 percent higher than the national average. Florida’s elderly prison population was the fastest growing segment and it is expected to reach more than 27,700 inmates by 2023. Most elderly inmates have significant medical needs. In 2015, the FDC spent more than $366 million on health care for inmates.

Brandes agreed that pay raises for prison staff was a start, but said more needed to be done.

The senator has in the past proposed several things for the prison system, with the top priority being reducing sentences for nonviolent offenders.

Other issues such as the aging population of the inmates need attention, as well as the possibility of releasing inmates who are terminally ill, he said.

“These [terminally ill] inmates, instead of spending their last few weeks, or months, in confinement, they could be at home surrounded by family in their final hours.”

Brandes also proposed reviewing an inmate’s court case.

“This will allow a judge to take a second look at their case and the judge will determine early release based on their prison record,” he said.

“If the inmate has had good behavior, and participated in programs while incarcerated, the judge can reduce their sentence.”

He said if these problems were not addressed soon that he feared the department of corrections was in crisis mode and would stay there for a long time to come.

James Baiardi, president of the Corrections Chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association said that,  for the past several years, his organization has been “sounding the alarm” about the staffing issues in Florida prisons.

“Our Correctional Officers [are] being forced to work excessive amounts of overtime that has taken a negative toll on their health,” Baiardi told The Epoch Times. “We are pleased that Gov. DeSantis and the FDC are taking emergency measures in proposing a short-term solution that will provide our members with immediate relief.”

Baiardi said he and the PBA will continue to push for pay raises in the next legislative session and work with officials to find long-term solutions to the “staffing crisis.”

The House and Senate leaders make up the Joint Legislative Budget Commission and have the authority to make mid-year budget decisions. This proposal in the report would allow FDC to pay for “other contracted staff options available at Florida county facilities.”

The panel will meet again on Sept. 9 to consider a new process called “Local Support Grants” that will allow the distribution of money to projects and programs throughout the state.