Maintaining adequate staffing at some Kentucky correctional facilities can be a challenge. That’s been the case over time at Fayette County Community Corrections. But the staffing trend has been moving in the right direction at the detention center off Old Frankfort Pike.
A graduation ceremony in late September saw 30 new correctional officers in Lexington be formally recognized. One was Lauren Hunt who said she was grateful for an opportunity to serve her community with her new brothers and sisters. Hunt said the training, which included defensive tactics and getting pepper sprayed, is not for the faint of heart.
“They don’t hold back, you know, we kind of want to get a taste of reality, and so we learn all kinds of strikes and things. Why they do OC spray with us is because we have to know the exposure of what the inmate is going through as well as if we ever get exposed to it,” said Hunt.
Hunt, who has a military police background, said the correctional officer training was not too difficult. And an interest in military and public service in a jail setting is in her DNA.
“My dad was a sergeant first class with the Rangers. So, he got killed overseas, so me and my brother wanted to honor him by following in his footsteps. That’s why I joined the military. And then I was grateful to have a lieutenant of Lexington Metro take me in under his wing and he was kind of like a father figure to me so that’s why I’ve always been dedicated to Lexington,” said Hunt.
Hunt said she may want to make a move into law enforcement at some point. That’s a similar sentiment expressed by another one of the 30 correctional officer recruits, Sergio Valencia.
“I’ve always wanted to work in law enforcement, whether it was this, Metro, or fire. I decided to come to this so I can get a little more experience. Maybe I’ll stay. Maybe I won’t,” said Valencia.
On the day of graduation, Valencia said he’s was enjoying his time so far in corrections.
Scott Colvin is the director of Community Corrections in Fayette County. He took over command last November when the jail was some 123 officers short. Colvin said, with this latest class, the vacancy number is now in the lower 60s, with another academy class of 20.
“People were working three days of overtime a week in November. Now it’s almost entirely voluntary. The significance is that we have been able to rebuild the staffing of the Division of Community Corrections. There’s a new energy with these young people,” said Colvin.
Colvin called it a new vibe when everyone wanted to start focusing on their profession again. He added it’s, quote, “just a wonderful thing. It’s a positive thing.”
Still, mentoring will be a part of the experience for the new officers.
“Just because they graduated and just because they’re out of the FTO program at this time doesn’t mean that they’re out of our focus. Day by day they’ll be in contact with veterans and commanders that will help them learn the job,” said Colvin.
Colvin said what can be a perception of a correctional officer may present an inaccurate image. Where thoughts may go to turning keys and rationing out simple food, the 30 plus year veteran in corrections said it’s an intensely human affair with constant interaction.
James Wells is a professor of criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University.
A one-time corrections officer himself, Wells admits those attending to inmates don’t often get much in the way of appreciation. He asks, quote, “when was the last time you saw a television program portray a correctional officer accurately.”
Wells said the energy required to recruit and retain jail staff too often saps time and resources.
“You’re processing separations, you’re paying overtime to cover vacancies, you’re training new staff and all of these are resources that could be better devoted to better programming and services for the inmates in reducing recidivism and such or approving pay and benefits and work conditions for staff,” said Wells.
Wells noted people outside a correctional facility may think that inmate misbehavior is the biggest challenge and cause of stress. Wells added that’s often not the case.
“A lot of the stress can come, not from the inmates, but from the work environment, those you work with, in terms of supervisors and administrators lacking consistency in how they want you to do your job,” said Wells.
Wells has worked with the Fayette County Division of Community Corrections. He says the academy in Lexington, to his knowledge, has more instructional hours and mentoring than any other jail in Kentucky.
Wells said he likes to impart this quotation from 18th-century poet, scientist, and philosopher Johan Wolfgang von Goethe: “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”
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EKU Criminal Justice Professor James Wells
