Senator proposes using overtime pay to hire more prison officers

A plan to increase prison staffing and correction officer pay would take money out of overtime already budgeted for the Department of Correction.

Sen. Dave Lawson, R-Marydel, member of the Joint Finance Committee, announced a proposal Feb. 22 that could add 180 new recruits.

“It’s time to do right by these correction officers,” said Lawson. “We can use existing funds to pay these officers a more competitive salary, and in the process increase the quality and depth of the pool of new recruits.”

The plan would take about $15 million out of the $22 million budgeted for overtime and use it to hire new officers and increase starting salaries to $37,000. Current employees would also receive a $4,000 increase. The remaining money, about $8 million, would be available for overtime or officer training.

“This plan will allow our prisons to be properly staffed by men and women who are paid a competitive salary,” said Lawson, a retired Delaware State Police officer. “They put themselves in harm’s way, and we owe it to the people of Delaware to properly staff our prisons. I look forward to discussing this proposal with the Department of Corrections and my colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee as we prepare this year’s budget.”

Shortly after the Feb. 1 siege at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center that resulted in the death of Lt. Steven Floyd, 17 prison employees, mostly officers, resigned or retired.

Floyd’s death has been ruled a homicide caused by trauma. Delaware State Police continue a criminal investigation into the prison siege.