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Prince William County jail board hears staffing shortages and operational metrics
Summary
The jail superintendent reported the facility's capacity and population trends and described ongoing recruitment and retention challenges; the board heard details of a county pay-and-retention study and local efforts to boost hiring.
The jail superintendent reported the facility's operational capacity at 871 and a management capacity of 1,320, and said the fiscal-year-to-date four-month average daily population was 559.
The superintendent said the high daily population in September reached 586 (Sept. 16) and in October reached 580 (Oct. 15), with monthly averages of 564 and 563, respectively. He reported transfers to the state and monthly commitment and release counts, and noted three harassment complaints reported across September and October. "We currently have 87 inmates on Medicaid-assisted treatment," the superintendent said.
Board members pressed the superintendent on recruitment and retention. The superintendent said the county has launched a pay, compensation and retention study with consulting firm PFM and that the county has adopted some retention bonuses. He said turnover remains a challenge: in the last two weeks of October the jail had eight resignations, two retirements and six officers who moved to other jurisdictions. "Salary is a big thing," the superintendent said, noting neighboring jurisdictions can pay $20,000 or more above local rates.
Board members and staff discussed retention incentives, job fairs, outreach to colleges and the limits of one-time bonuses. "A bonus doesn't affect your paycheck the way salary does," the superintendent said. The board also noted several neighboring jails had moved to mandatory overtime, and members expressed hope the county can avoid that step.
The superintendent summarized training and program activity: 14 jail officers graduated from the Basic Academy, 11 officers completed mandatory in-service, 224 officers received firearms training, 14 staff completed mental-health first-aid training, and 329 staff completed mandated cybersecurity training. He also reported the facility has distributed 839 boxes of Narcan since Oct. 19, 2021.
The superintendent and board members concluded the staffing problem is structural and likely to require the study's recommendations and budgetary adjustments to address pay scales and recruitment approaches. The board commended staff for managing through shortages and for morale efforts such as an internal mascot contest.
The meeting closed after routine business and an adjournment vote.
