Sheriff: Vacancies driving overtime as Orange County detention runs below authorized staffing

Sheriff Blackwood told the Orange County Board of Commissioners on May 21 that the detention center is operating with 52 filled positions of an authorized 59, and that the resulting vacancies are covered with overtime.

County Manager Travis Myren said the recommended budget sets overtime in the Sheriff’s Office at 13.6% of permanent salaries—above a consultant-cited industry standard of 10%—and noted some overtime reflects reimbursable activities such as event patrols. Vice-Chair Amy Fowler and others asked staff to explain why overtime is elevated and how vacancy levels affect operations and inmate transport.

Blackwood said vacancies increase overtime costs and identified 19 categories of overtime work, including community event patrols that are sometimes reimbursable. He said the department has completed renovations to detention‑center classrooms, but the rooms have not yet been utilized; he agreed to follow up on why the programming has not been activated. Blackwood emphasized that it is not possible to run half the detention center with half the staff and that overtime is a reality while vacancies persist.

Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford and others expressed interest in whether other projects—such as a crisis diversion facility—might reduce detention demand and staffing pressure, but Blackwood said he could not yet say whether that project would relieve staffing shortages.

The Board asked staff to provide a more detailed update on detention staffing, overtime categories, and use of recently completed classroom spaces as part of continuing budget deliberations.