Corrections official reports improved staffing, warns ICE contracts would bring costs and liability

At the Cheshire County commissioners meeting on May 7, the Department of Corrections reported staffing gains and cautioned that taking on Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees would require costly operational changes and carry legal risk.

Doug, the Department of Corrections representative, told commissioners the jail currently has 41 of 44 correctional-officer positions filled and that turnover improved after a 2024 pay-rate increase. “We made a significant up market adjustment in the pay rate to correctional officers that took effect in ’24,” he said, adding that turnover dropped to about 20% last year from more than 50% in earlier years.

Doug said the county is targeting an average inmate census of roughly 43 for budgeting this year; year-to-date averages around 48 and federal housing contracts and increased per-diem rates have boosted revenue. He said a recent contract raised the housing rate from $105 to $120 per day and increased transport reimbursement from $30 to $40 per hour, which together are projected to raise annual housing revenue by about $235,425 and transport revenue by about $21,000.

The corrections representative described rising medical and behavioral-health needs among people booked into the jail, noting unscheduled transports increased to 59 in 2024 from 24 in 2023, with more acute psychiatric cases requiring transfers under the state involuntary-admittance statute. To respond, the county ended a travel-nurse contract, kept three full‑time nurses plus per‑diems, and hired a part‑time psychiatric advanced practice registered nurse who will work up to nine hours a week to manage psychotropic prescribing.

Doug said the jail will soon enact an EMT policy to allow licensed officers working third shift to use emergency medical skills like assisted ventilation and airway management under a non‑transport EMS certification arranged with local Cheshire EMS. “It simply allows this current officer or any others to safely know that they can use their EMT skills if they encounter an inmate in a medical crisis,” he said.

The representative also described a peer‑support program for corrections staff that trained six members and logged 11 users in the first quarter, framing the program as a workplace‑support response to stress and trauma.

On immigration enforcement, Doug summarized recent state legislation discussions and national ICE detention standards. He described House Bill 511 and Senate Bill 71 as proposals that would affect counties’ legal obligations to hold ICE detainees; he said one bill was retained in committee on an 18–0 vote and that the county continues to track bill language.

“ICE standards have staffing, housing and reporting requirements that could change how we do classification, transport and health care,” Doug said, noting the 2019 national standards would require more rigorous classification and separate housing in some circumstances. He told commissioners that Stratford County, which holds federal detainees under contract, had to build internal infrastructure and staff up to meet inspections and reporting requirements.

Doug concluded that while housing federal inmates can offset local tax costs, “I don’t believe us getting involved in immigration enforcement is really in the scope of our mission, but it would be cost prohibitive and would carry significant liability.”

The commissioners thanked the Department of Corrections representative for the report and scheduled the semiannual facility inspection and tours to proceed as planned.

The county is expected to publish any formal inspection findings after the scheduled tour and interviews.