Deschutes County Jail short-staffed, patrol deputies step in

The Deschutes County jail is understaffed, and some patrol deputies are stepping in to help cover shifts, officials said.

Capt. Deron McMaster told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday there have been about 20 openings in the past year.

The sheriff’s office is now on a hiring blitz as it tries to fill several vacancies in the jail.

The agency has hired 10 jail deputies and has offered four other positions to applicants, but those hired still need to go through a background check and medical clearance, which can take weeks or months.

“We have people that are dedicated, and they are picking up the slack. And so I worry about people getting burned out somewhat and overworking themselves,” McMaster said.

He said the agency is mindful to not burn out employees. Those who want to work overtime can do so, but it’s not mandatory.

The jail’s yearly overtime budget is $359,000, and already it has spent over half. The overtime has included training, more staff during the solar eclipse, transports and overtime shifts.

“We’ve had supervisors and deputies, while they are actually working, when things are slow in the field (come to the jail) and take time to assist us with a task,” he said.

County Commissioner Phil Henderson tells NewsChannel 21 Sheriff Shane Nelson requested adding three new positions this year, but the board rejected his request until he could fill those jail vacancies.

“They have expressed some concerns with the difficulty of hiring locally in the law enforcement area,” Henderson said. “And it’s competitive with other law enforcement areas, and it’s competitive with other law enforcement agencies. But also, housing costs here have been a factor in hiring.”

Nelson told NewsChannel 21 his office has also reached out to other agencies to see if they have extra people to help staff the county jail.

According to the agency’s jail housing operations policy states, ‘At a minimum, this will include no fewer than two certified deputies per post, including booking, floor, Work Center and court security. The minimum staffing in North Control will consist of either two corrections technicians or certified deputies, or a combination of the two. South Control will be staffed at the discretion of the shift supervisor. The Medical Unit will be staffed by one certified deputy when any inmate is lodged in the unit.’

“We’re looking for the right people, more than we’re looking for people that have experience,” McMaster said.