Bad Safety, Bad Security is Bad Business
The Oklahoma Public Employees Association, is calling on all of the newly elected state leadership, for help to suspend the Department of Corrections furloughs. The Department of Corrections is operating with about 70 percent staffing and with an inmate population at 99 percent capacity.
“We are asking Senate President Pro Temp-elect Bingman, Speaker-elect Steele, and Governor-elect Fallin to come together now and agree to a supplemental appropriation of at least $9 million so the Department of Correction can end the furloughs,” said Sterling Zearley, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Public Employees Association. “DOC has been operating with furloughs since this new fiscal year began and is poised to increase the number of days beginning in February.”
“Funding has been an issue for over a decade and the employees have worked in a very stressful situation for too long, these dedicated public employees need relief,” continued Zearley.
“While correctional employees are not as visible as other public safety employees such as troopers and firefighters, that should not equate to lower standard of safety,” said Zearley. “DOC employees must deal daily with the most violent members of our society while operating with low staffing and a growing number of inmates. Bad safety and bad security are simply bad business.”
OPEA is considering having employees gather for an informational picket to call attention to this situation. OPEA has invited the Fraternal of Police, Communications Workers of America and Oklahoma Corrections Professionals to join in the picket.
“The Department of Corrections has been underfunded for years,” concluded Zearley. “The state expects employees to protect them and the offenders; however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accomplish this mission with the lack of funds.”
Senator Bingman, Representative Steele and Governor-elect Fallin can give Director Justin Jones an assurance that funding will be provided to suspend the furloughs.
Posted on
Tue, November 16, 2010
by Jimmy Durant