Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Jail Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent West cites staffing gains, new medical unit and reentry work at jail board meeting
Summary
Superintendent West told the Prince William–Manassas Regional Jail Board the facility has cut sworn vacancies dramatically, launched a supportive-care medical unit for detoxing inmates and expanded reentry and wellness programs, including plans for tablets and biometric monitoring for high-risk inmates.
Superintendent West told the Prince William–Manassas Regional Jail Board that the jail has substantially reduced vacancies, expanded inmate wellness programming and opened a new medical unit for people undergoing detox.
West said the facility had 88 vacancies when he arrived, with 79 sworn and 18 non‑sworn positions, and that vacancies had fallen to "3 sworn" and "5 non sworn" as hiring continued. He highlighted recruitment efforts—including mall kiosks, pop-up hiring events and partnerships with local colleges—that produced two academies and about 65 new sworn staff over the past 13 months.
The superintendent described operational changes he said were meant to improve safety and morale. "We created May 4, we started a medical unit, and we call it the supportive supportive care unit," West said, describing near‑around‑the‑clock nursing for acute and detoxing inmates. He added the jail has assigned a psychiatric nurse to the mental‑health team and estimated about "a 100 inmates on psych meds."
West also outlined programs intended to reduce recidivism and strengthen community ties: expanded internship partnerships with area colleges, an art‑and‑wellness program, a public speaking workshop, yoga for female inmates and a growing reentry center that connects people leaving custody with community services. "We're connected all the services in the Greater Prince William," he said.
The superintendent described steps to improve morale among staff—new civilian HR roles to reduce turnover, a senior communications position, wellness hours for employees and small recognition awards—and said the jail is moving toward providing tablets to inmates for family communication and programming.
Board members responded with praise. Reverend Bailey called West’s report "extraordinary," and several members said the staffing and wellness changes were making the facility safer and improving morale. The board asked staff to provide a follow‑up on law changes affecting jails at the next meeting.
The board did not take new policy votes tied to the presentation; West's report was received and followed by routine agenda items and a budget update later in the meeting.
