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Utah prisons short 150 staff members, recruiting for more

A current recruit class will add a few dozen officers to the prison system, but officials say competition for qualified candidates is high

Associated Press

DRAPER — The Utah Department of Corrections is looking to fill more than 150 vacant positions, and while they wait for applications the current staff is being stretched thin.

Department of Corrections public information officer Brooke Adams tells KUTV-TV that the department is in a huge hiring campaign right now.

A current recruit class will add a few dozen officers to the prison system, but officials say competition for qualified candidates is high. They say some departments are offering financial incentives to recruit officers from other agencies.

Utah lawmakers are currently in talks to move the prison away from Draper to a new community, drawing ire from many at public meetings.

Adams says she does not think the prospect of a prison relocation will deter potential candidates.