Hudson County corrections union warns of unsafe staffing levels and alleges excessive discipline

Union leaders and rank-and-file corrections staff told the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners on April 24 that the county jail is dangerously understaffed and that officers face increased assaults and routine lockdowns.

Benny Lisojo, who identified himself as the union president, told the board, “We have a large gap in the amount of officers that we need to what we have,” and said the staffing shortfall, combined with suspensions and terminations, has left officers—and inmates—at risk. He described “a lot of lock‑ins” and said assaults on officers “have went up the highest that I’ve ever seen.”

Why it matters: Commissioners were told the staffing shortage is not only a scheduling problem but also a morale problem that could affect public safety. Commissioner William O'Dea said the board needs routine information about the jail’s daily operations and demanded weekly written reports on which units and wings are locked down.

What the union said: Lisojo accused the administration of aggressive discipline inconsistent with prosecutorial findings, citing case review examples he said were returned from the county prosecutor’s office and then still resulted in terminations. He said officers are receiving suspensions of 90 to 180 days for conduct the union believes should carry lighter penalties.

Applicant and officer claims: DePaul Murphy, a job applicant, told the board he passed civil‑service testing but was removed from hiring consideration after county reviewers identified an old social‑media photo; Murphy said the photo mislabels him as a gang affiliate. He asked the Board to review whether hiring decisions are unintentionally biased by neighborhood or past associations.

Separately, corrections officer Ada Ortiz told the board she was terminated after a use‑of‑force incident. Ortiz said prosecutors returned the case to the department and that she “had no use of force” in her personnel file prior to the termination; she said her dismissal is on appeal and requested a Public Safety Committee review.

Administration response: County Counsel cautioned commissioners about engaging in on-the-spot legal back-and-forth with public speakers. Later in the meeting, counsel told the board staff is willing to review hiring and disciplinary claims, but emphasized that personnel and collective‑bargaining processes constrain some actions and that disputed claims will typically be handled through internal processes or union grievance procedures.

What happens next: Commissioner O'Dea requested weekly, written lockdown reports and asked for data on academy recruitment, completion and retention for corrections officers going back a year. The Board and administration agreed to investigate and report back at a future meeting.

Ending: Multiple speakers said they will continue to bring these concerns to public meetings until the administration provides documented corrective steps. The board closed the meeting after the public-comment period; no formal board action on staffing or discipline was taken at the session.