Florida prison officials hope to attract more qualified candidates with higher pay

OCALA, Fla. – The Florida Division of Corrections is hiring and workers could make greater than ever earlier than. Officers stated the brand new beginning wage is $41,600, a rise of greater than $8,000 a yr.

John Siter, assistant warden at Lowell Correctional Establishment in Ocala, stated a yr in the past, the annual pay was $33,500.

FOX 35 spoke with Siter to be taught extra about how the increase will influence operations. 

“You’re going to rent extra employees and higher employees. It will remove loads of complacency, that’s turn into a part of our company due to being overworked,” he stated.  

Lawmakers have lengthy blamed issues in Florida prisons with the lack to recruit sturdy candidates on account of low pay. 

In 2019, three correctional officers at Lake Correctional Establishment in Clermont have been arrested after mobile phone video surfaced exhibiting guards beating an inmate. Later that yr, inmate Cheryl Weimar was left a quadriplegic whereas serving time at Lowell. The guards who have been along with her when she was injured will not be being charged. 

“A part of the legislators budgeting this session was throughout the board wage will increase,” Rep. Anna Eskamani stated. 

She stated there’s nonetheless loads of work to do within the state’s prisons like placing physique cameras on officers and updating the infrastructure. 

“Seventy six p.c of our prisons in Florida shouldn’t have air con,” she stated. “Keep in mind there are officers working in these dorms with no air con.”

Jail officers stated they’ve additionally added retention pay and all present workers are getting a bump of their wage. 

To see an inventory of open positions, click on right here.