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Sheriff urges council to boost pay and capital funding as jail population and costs rise
Summary
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson told the committee the jail is running near 1,500 residents, above the council policy capacity, and requested additional operating and personnel funds citing staffing shortages, high overtime, and capital needs including security systems and building repairs.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson told the Joint Criminal Justice & Budget Committee on Oct. 28 that the jail is handling nearly 1,500 residents and that the office is operating a structural and staffing crisis that will require increased city funding to address.
Hutson said the sheriff’s baseline city allocation — roughly $64.6 million for 2024 — is insufficient to run “a constitutional jail” at current population levels. She told council members deputies’ base pay has risen in recent years but remains low compared with comparable roles, and many deputies are working multiple paid details to make ends meet.
Why it matters: The sheriff said the annual cost to house a single adult resident is about $53,000, while the entry pay for deputies remains near $18 an hour; the mismatch, she said, contributes to recruitment and…
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