Advertisement. Advertise with us

Sheriff Richard Devlin stands in the Otsego County Jail’s lobby in a 2019 photo. (Jim Kevlin/AllOtsego.com)

Sheriff says correction salaries still an issue as contract looms

After closing of two housing units in the Otsego County jail on December 21 due to staffing issues, Sheriff Richard Devlin hopes the County Board of Representatives will offer a new contract to the Otsego County Deputy Sheriffs’ Benevolent Association with higher pay so the county can better retain staff at the jail.

Sheriff Devlin said the union’s contract with Otsego County expires in January 2022 – something he hopes will jumpstart discussions about “appropriate pay” for corrections officers.

Despite the upcoming contract deadline, the sheriff said he has heard “not a word” from the Otsego County Board of Representatives.

“I hope the county will see that the salary is an issue,” Sheriff Devlin said. “You would think that you tell people you had staffing issues that you would have a conversation but we’ve had no conversation.”

The sheriff decided to close the two jail units after a conversation with the New York State Commission of Corrections, a move requiring 12 inmates to be housed in jails in neighboring counties at a cost to Otsego County of $90 a day per inmate.

The closing reduced by two the number of staff required in the Otsego County lockup.

With 14 available openings for correctional officers in the county, Sheriff Devlin said he has heard that some already on the staff plan on leaving their jobs.

“People are getting burned out,” he said. “It is becoming unsafe.”

He compared working as a corrections officer in Otsego County to ‘a revolving door.’

“We train them, they go somewhere else,” Sherriff Devlin said.

He said neighboring counties offer higher pay for corrections officers, and many leave because of the amount of overtime.

Corrections officers often work two to three double shifts of overtime per week, which Sherriff Devlin said is untenable. The county hiring additional corrections officer would dramatically reduce the amount of overtime needed, he said.

Posted

1 Comment

  1. Many members of the Otsego County Board of Representatives continue to disappoint! For the Board to knowingly ignore the needs of the Otsego County sheriff’s corrections operation is unacceptable. Having lived and worked in another state, having visited three county jail operations in that state, I can attest to the importance of having full local government support of such operations. Is it ignorance, growing evidence of “planning in a vacuum,” or simply hubris that allows a situation such as exists in Otsego County corrections to continue?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

Oneonta-based Company Principals Arrested for Medicaid Fraud

Philip Mtui, Mbaga Kaiza and Tony Taylor, principals at the Oneonta-based Phinaliz Communications LLC, were arrested in connection with a massive Medicaid fraud scheme on Thursday, August 24. State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the arrest on Monday, August 28 on behalf of state, local and federal investigating agencies.…

New Trailer a Game Changer for County Animal Rescue

On Thursday, July 27, the Otsego County Office of Emergency Services made a presentation to the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that marks a significant milestone in animal welfare efforts in this county. Emergency Services Coordinator Victor Jones and two of his staff members were on hand at the SQSPCA to officially introduce shelter officials to a brand new livestock trailer for use in farm animal rescues, as well as an animal response trailer fully stocked with supplies and equipment needed for emergency rescues in general.…

Otsego Sheriff wants more County support

Otsego Sheriff wants more County support By Kevin Limiti • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com The Otsego County Sheriff’s office is having difficulty staffing and retaining deputies and corrections officers, a problem Sheriff Richard Devlin blames on low pay, excessive overtime, and what he calls “a lack of support” from the county. Currently, there are 11 open positions for corrections officers at the Otsego County Jail in Cooperstown, which Sheriff Devlin says causes health issues for its officers required to work longer shifts, and problems with the upkeep at the facility itself. “If you have a person working a 16-hour shift they’re…

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to “The Freeman’s Journal” and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.