Douglas County corrections director highlights GED graduations, staffing gains and treatment outcomes

Douglas County Director of Corrections Michael Myers told county commissioners on April 22 that his March report showed the jail operating under budget while continuing to expand educational and treatment services.

Myers said the department was $1,267,995 under budget following the ninth month of the fiscal year and that overtime costs totaled $340,403 for the period. He added that more than $1,000,000 in bond payments were processed by the records division and that 11 officers below the rank of sergeant and one sergeant left employment in March, including one retirement. A class of 26 new cadets began the academy the day before the meeting, Myers said, which he said should improve staffing through the summer.

The corrections department also described education and reentry programming. Heather Robinson, educational and vocational supervisor, said the GED program has a waitlist of 107 people with 72 active students and that the facility’s GED program produced 36 graduates over the past year. Robinson said the department offers a Google Classroom for students who are off-site, two…