[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6241332,"mediaKeyId","3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d","parentId",3307205,"title","Sheriff says hiring overhaul cut jail vacancy to 7% as of April 18, 2025","audioSeconds",658,"startMs",302000,"endMs",960000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d&start=302&end=960","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d/thumbnail_302000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241332/Tennessee/Sheriff-says-hiring-overhaul-cut-jail-vacancy-to-7-as-of-April-18-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241332-2b25e4122643c3b6e97dcfcc511935f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160556&Signature=EX9p3lKJIv6asg5fFITZuQAYG6Rk9zuS6isGYXuQ6nIsl9M5zNDBckL2X-9MheklYW3x7-Il92ndRvW03QXZQOJ7cvL7aOkUtQzd0tsfmY~qF6J5bfVOZjr--quiwXjC0wmMTHc2G379zX7WNqFnPvGtBuXZGuSJ6v7Cpai5PPSn~-gxWPSTgH~8rdKxxkZUQGglkdnPW4mVJGb0yDewKr8vipgD38AMXd8e0C5IYE-IfOX-Q0IagwDSJnlSrUuWLoSMn01G5jGciPhec6cKcVjAh0SDBzUb-rqsy9tA8DyAxYMHsJvRmGTHvcDkquQD47mcc3jf11je-T0DqCYWNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Nashville, TN","date","2025-05-15T00:12:58.377Z","article","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting, Sheriff Hall told council members the sheriff’s office had overhauled recruitment and retention for jail staff and had reduced the correctional officer vacancy rate to 7% as of 04/18/2025.

The plan matters because corrections makes up the largest share of the sheriff’s budget and staffing levels affect facility safety, supervision and costs. Chief Ruby Joyner told the council the office pursued a “multi‑phased approach” that included a dedicated recruiter, a retention specialist, an accelerated onboarding that pays recruits while they shadow officers, and a tiered pay structure that raises pay as trainees complete the academy and probation. “With the changes to the pay structure, our enhanced recruiting efforts and shadowing opportunities, we have watched our vacancy rate drop to 7% as of 04/18/2025,” Joyner said.

Sheriff Hall and Chief Joyner described specifics the office changed: the hiring timeline that previously took “three to four months” was shortened, new hires (called onboarders) begin a roughly two‑week job‑shadowing period while continuing background checks and pay begins during that phase. The office shifted to tiered pay—trainee, CO‑1 on probation, then CO‑2/corporal after probation—to make entry pay more competitive and to provide step increases tied to training and experience.

Officials said the office also used focus groups of recent hires to adapt recruitment: younger applicants prioritized immediate pay and scheduling flexibility over long‑term benefits such as pensions and healthcare. To attract candidates who prefer higher hourly pay over long‑term benefits, the office offered part‑time roles that allowed hires to waive pension and health coverage in exchange for higher hourly wages; the sheriff said the change drew a large number of applicants, including a majority of women among those hires. “We had a hundred people. You couldn't—we had to say no,” Hall said of the part‑time option.

Joyner traced the vacancy trend: about 15% before the COVID era (through April 2018), about 25% during COVID (to July 2020), about 28% post‑COVID (to October 2021), and then the decline to 7% after the recruitment changes. She emphasized that the approach balances getting people into positions quickly and evaluating reliability during the paid onboarding period: “For two weeks they are required to show up on time … we get to evaluate them on factors like their attendance and the level of maturity they could potentially bring to this profession.”

Sheriff Hall stressed that the staffing work was ongoing and tied to other operational demands: corrections is about two‑thirds the size of the sheriff’s office and the office also provides courthouse security, transportation and civil process. He said the goal is to remain competitive in the field and to keep vacancy levels low. The sheriff and chief asked council members to consider changes in broader Metro hiring and benefits policy—such as the threshold that triggers mandatory pension and health benefits for part‑time workers—to make recruitment outside traditional full‑time models easier.

Council members asked about metrics for retention and the operational impacts of the changes; officials said they would supply additional budget details and follow up data to council staff. The sheriff said the office had shifted training and recruitment practices based on what recently hired staff said they wanted, and that the changes had measurably reduced vacancies.

Less critical detail: the sheriff noted corrections housing units of about 64 beds are typically staffed by one officer, and that non‑housing duties (for example, hospital watches) create additional staffing pressure.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/13/25 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Sheriff's Office","oneSentenceSummary","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting, Sheriff Hall told council members the sheriff’s office had overhauled recruitment and retention for jail staff and had reduced the correctional officer vacancy rate to 7% as of 04/18/2025.","taxTitle","Budget & Finance Meetings, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee","taxId",69310,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241330,"Sheriff explains fingerprint sharing, NCIC and 48‑hour ICE detainer practice",487,940000,1427000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d&start=940&end=1427","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d/thumbnail_940000.jpg","/articles/6241330/Tennessee/Sheriff-explains-fingerprint-sharing-NCIC-and-48hour-ICE-detainer-practice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241330-b2e6a3b3819e0292bceb31c286fda67c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160556&Signature=PmRk3M2dQlTlNYVJIDYpkuoRGJRN5VA0rdlGs6ROr9qVvoLnyGARBkTmPhd9Rw4LG93dz16O6O~hZGfxqZbBYdEKoWETsZ44CIAFZ0yIxaS~0E8dimg-BAnrhicy28H64bftIEhmR1f10FnGIrOs3~jLEbw2mOq7pZVWGB3c~VvK76I7FS8iErgR86GZzANGDjsB5S4rBRy6JGaiypQjl0iM~L0fGzC~o5bTlDf3Ly2ECOIRjHfDcx0wDAQ65x5a2bq3tu-2M8aKLamTDv~PpC-hiEP2IBQ-NCHmD4KZeUuMHJe8R7GjGMuLBAyBVJnHhQo4~eDKzQjgm8l-N6XOyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting, Sheriff Hall told council members how the booking fingerprint process interacts with federal databases and with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and he described the local practice for ICE detainers.

The sheriff said fingerprints taken at booking are sent to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and also to an immigration fingerprint database that was instituted under the Secure Communities program. “When you're fingerprinted, your prints go two places, and they're searching both of those systems,” he said, describing the automated checks. He explained that the NCIC check looks for criminal warrants and records, while the immigration check looks specifically for immigration histories.

On detainers and holds, Hall told the council there is a state law that requires cooperation with an ICE detainer once local charges are complete and that the office must hold a person for up to 48 hours. “What madam chair is talking about is the legal requirement is that we have to hold that person for 48 hours after the local charges are complete. And on the 48th hour in 1 second, we cut you loose,” he said.

The sheriff also described limits on the sheriff’s office’s ability to notify families about transfers to ICE custody. “We don't have information,” he said when asked what the sheriff’s office can tell families after federal officials take custody. He added that the office can confirm only that the person was turned over to federal officials and the time of transfer, but not a federal custody location or immigration status. He said the federal government often does not make full information public and that his office is working with lawyers and the mayor’s office to clarify policies for employees and contractors working in Metro facilities.

Council members asked follow‑up questions about exactly what families are told and about holds for courthouse and building security, and the sheriff said staff and counsel are reviewing how to communicate policies for contract security employees and how contract staff should respond when ICE or federal officials appear at Metro buildings.

Why it matters: the fingerprinting and detainer process determines whether an individual arrested on a local charge may be transferred to federal immigration custody once local proceedings finish. The sheriff emphasized that this fingerprint sharing practice is long‑standing and that changes in the number of transfers reflect federal action, not a change in local practice.","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting, Sheriff Hall told council members how the booking fingerprint process interacts with federal databases and with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241323,"Mobile booking unit shortens officer downtown downtime; convention center funded downtown unit last year",626,2438000,3064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d&start=2438&end=3064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d/thumbnail_2438000.jpg","/articles/6241323/Tennessee/Mobile-booking-unit-shortens-officer-downtown-downtime-convention-center-funded-downtown-unit-last-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241323-8759f848c87ad083be6f961498d04168/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160556&Signature=EaQIxFypKeV1HXRQg0XFr4i43rkcLsw0qB0TOIZbZxfUmqbeqkMqeStqrxSKSvkOM29sL2y8YlEycJhh6dqG9LRP9orts8PoYRBIp8vxEP2nyVQsEhg3PS6Syn4uWHQcN4agHHwoJOhdVOEsZ99baiJdanba6EsmxJuBcoKPpTSBT-FxKTPJtfF1ml3MIyN1fXK2SSxTLMm9dUiOg6cHYncNy8QG21Ngqbe~tcmZQ0xfEXAnRrz~Aiwn5NsYNpZGXkl7Hyj9BJd0GSo6yBMs41C3MtcvOMj5pJSUnybu4ADXw8Zns-I9HJCYYjXs~JGq~3Wc06pSmfiDEPJGm~A69g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting Sheriff Hall described the sheriff’s office‑run mobile booking unit used by the Metro Police Department and explained its purpose, staffing and funding.

Sheriff Hall said booking downtown could take nearly two hours of officer time in the past and that the mobile booking unit reduces that downtime dramatically by processing arrestees at the scene or at an event. “We're reducing their time it takes to book a person from an hour and 50 minutes now to 20 minutes,” he said. Under the mobile model, officers hand custody of an arrestee to sheriff’s staff at a mobile unit so officers can return to patrol more quickly.

Hall said the unit is particularly useful for downtown concerts and special events where rapid processing prevents officers from leaving the event and allows the arresting officers to return to public safety duties. He said the convention center funded the downtown mobile booking unit last year; the sheriff’s office operates the staff inside the unit. The unit’s staffing model he described includes seven employees who work 10‑hour shifts on busy nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), and the sheriff told council the office had previously used a grant to develop an earlier version of the unit.

Sheriff Hall said the mobile booking unit concept can be deployed in different parts of the city by parking the unit in a precinct area and having officers from that zone bring arrestees there; he noted a historic precinct booking room (South Precinct) had been designed for the same purpose in previous years but that operational patterns changed over time. The sheriff told council he and police command coordinate on where to station the unit and that, beyond the downtown event unit funded by the convention center, the office envisions future capital investment to replace an older mobile unit.

Why it matters: the unit shortens the time officers are tied up for booking, which officials said can improve patrol coverage and public safety. Council members asked whether the convention center or event organizers should fund mobile units and whether additional units or capital replacement are required; the sheriff said he would provide cost and staffing details to the finance office.","Sheriff Hall told the council the mobile booking unit—run by the sheriff’s office and used by Metro Police—reduces officer booking time downtown from about 1 hour 50 minutes to roughly 20 minutes. He said the convention center funded the downtown unit last year and the unit is staffed by seven people on ten‑hour shifts for busy nights.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241326,"Sheriff converted 24 contracted courthouse security positions to deputy roles; budget shows $2 million for staffing",1198,1989000,3187000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d&start=1989&end=3187","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d/thumbnail_1989000.jpg","/articles/6241326/Tennessee/Sheriff-converted-24-contracted-courthouse-security-positions-to-deputy-roles-budget-shows-2-million-for-staffing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241326-b19c6f9fd701973a2b82e7e84588dfbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160556&Signature=BRv9tJ4vvF-jhZNIVqYvfHwe8qr3W3Kj3KSY4mMqhd8zq2IHLc3KknHYckI6Bq7nbJGzEeP9H6zkr7Y-f1D1v2AWsyx6cJCDXWz8S8YWsT8qd4ym0JAO0UBb8AlI8KV2iKy60tuMdVvRh7QB6cyE~~Jq2-MyvBxfHG6smFtshcz4dPWaVs0qqGrh-rbtF0PbH-LU6Sp5fGIk5H8kqo4vKwbuUc4NhHMTASUe-0pRXOCHkkXs7d25qR3WP9iW9L0aWx~izn3vwgriKEfe6q3K35Exz2zxJRmb7VZjNQLGtjWBMYK8SwLuqty8xfIzPOEf~qVUQ7QxRjGKLv8oGYxFkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting Sheriff Hall told council the sheriff’s office has taken over security for the courthouse this fiscal year by converting contracted security staff to sheriff’s office employees and asked the council to fund the office’s supervision and operating costs going forward.

Hall said the office converted 24 contracted employees into uniformed deputies and requested funding for an overall 31 FTEs to supervise courthouse operations; he described 24 of those as staff already being paid via contract and not entirely new FTEs. “We took over 24 contracted employees and flipped them to our uniforms,” he said. The sheriff’s budget book showed about $2,000,000 budgeted for uniformed officer staffing for the historic courthouse and a separate line (about $1,400,000) for the security services contract renewal; the sheriff said the latter reflects a contract rate increase that the finance office and his team reconciled while finalizing the budget.

Sheriff Hall and council members discussed offsets: he said money was reduced from the contract line where the contractor coverage was no longer needed, and he offered to provide exact shift and per‑shift staffing numbers to council members who requested them. Council members asked how many people per shift and how the conversion affected overtime and contract savings; Hall said he would provide the staff and offset figures.

Why it matters: converting contracted security workers into county employees shifts payroll, benefits and supervision responsibilities to the sheriff’s office and affects the sheriff’s personnel budget, the standing Allied Security contract and the Metro payroll and benefits obligations. Council members asked for a homework item: a costed analysis of how many FTEs would be needed to end remaining security contracts entirely and the cost implications of converting additional contract security (for example, school resource officers and other posts) to deputies.","At the April 18 hearing the sheriff said the office absorbed courthouse security previously provided by a contractor, converting 24 contracted staff into uniformed deputies and seeking budget support for ongoing supervision. Officials said most of the requested 31 FTEs represent converted contractors rather than net new positions.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6241328,"Sheriff requests Taser 10s for transport and courthouse deputies; annual cost cited at $340,000",722,1819000,2541000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d&start=1819&end=2541","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3307205-c65e855f19c4507d246b8b68a1b34c5d/thumbnail_1819000.jpg","/articles/6241328/Tennessee/Sheriff-requests-Taser-10s-for-transport-and-courthouse-deputies-annual-cost-cited-at-340000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241328-c7b307fa6f190e7e7bd97321d208f87b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160556&Signature=OXESNLzrJ2JscPL38l81PKBbjqjEhJTcIdBa73MNIb1LFdvTPHt-eBdH9P4jsaHRyxJ7I6HWbt~14pY-YRLGvSNUI18vw5xE78oseGEQ4dtc8Kb3yOuJ07j9xtw19~0A6bVxfm~RqvkcPLfMBStV38TJbstgTfGPzbfzzzXKIbA8TECdIp7vrtlJF7rDLBVB~uwZ6GvMp3WGTN3pfQgdM8nvKA22rInfxdPzdqokZtTu7nyaBFSKGOWSNIQ7fWFrk3hxLgIwusXoONs4eXoFktDLVcdqIB-HMY2oPt4QpJGr1w6peHMwJ85r8KdFOugrCfl530qHltYqq0vvY8MfdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the April 18 Budget & Finance meeting Sheriff Hall asked council to fund nonlethal stun devices for deputies who work transport, courthouse security and other assignments outside the jail, saying many of those positions currently have only a service revolver as an available weapon.

The sheriff said the requested equipment would cover about 250 staff who do transport, courthouse security and other duties and that the annual price tag would be about $340,000. He told council the office intends to match Metro Police Department training and logistics and to “piggyback the contract” or lease used by the police department so deputies would be certified to the same standard. “We were just gonna follow Metro Police… this is a Taser 10,” he said.

Sheriff Hall emphasized his intent was to provide a nonlethal alternative for staff who frequently operate outside secure areas. “When we say jail officers behind the wall, no one carries guns. … What we do have is some 250 other staff who transport prisoners, maintain security in courthouses, do all sorts of other functions,” he said. He said the office intentionally waited to request tasers until after Metro Police and other agencies worked through procurement and training issues.

Council members asked how the devices compare with equipment approved for the police department and about training and oversight. The sheriff said the office would use the same training module as Metro Police, and the model named in the presentation was the Taser 10.

Why it matters: the request would change the equipment available to deputies working outside secure jail settings and carries recurring costs and policy questions about use, training and oversight. Council members and the sheriff discussed funding tradeoffs and the timing of other budget priorities for the office.","At the April 18 budget hearing the sheriff asked council to fund nonlethal weapons for transport and courthouse staff, saying the office lacks alternatives to a service revolver in many assignments. The request would equip up to 250 deputies on transport and security assignments, trained to the same standard as Metro Police.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff says hiring overhaul cut jail vacancy to 7% as of April 18, 2025

Sheriff explains fingerprint sharing, NCIC and 48‑hour ICE detainer practice

Mobile booking unit shortens officer downtown downtime; convention center funded downtown unit last year

Sheriff converted 24 contracted courthouse security positions to deputy roles; budget shows $2 million for staffing

Sheriff requests Taser 10s for transport and courthouse deputies; annual cost cited at $340,000