By Robert Harding
The Citizen
SENNETT, N.Y. — Cayuga County began housing female inmates in other jails due to its worsening staffing crisis, including the loss of female custody officers.
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck confirmed on Tuesday that female inmates have been held at other jails since early July. The county received approval from the state Commission on Correction to designate Wayne County Jail as a substitute jail for “unsentenced females.”
Schenck told The Citizen the county has boarded an average of seven to eight women a day at other jails. For each inmate, it costs $110 per day.
“It has created a number of additional challenges related to transportation to and from the other counties, hospital details when they have had to be treated in local hospitals and court appearances,” Schenck said. “This has generated additional overtime that is not budgeted.”
Schenck warned of the jail staffing problem during appearances at the Cayuga County Legislature’s Judicial and Public Safety Committee meetings in May and June. He specifically mentioned the retirements of two female jail custody officers, which he said would result in “critically low” female staffing levels.
Because of the loss of female custody officers, Schenck alerted lawmakers that the county may need to board female inmates in other counties. When female inmates are present at the jail, there must be a female custody officer in the building.
Longtime sheriff’s office employees spoke about the staffing situation at the Cayuga County Legislature meeting in July.
Chad Swartwood, vice president of the Sheriff Employee’s Association of Cayuga County, which represents the custody officers, said 14 of the 96 positions are vacant and 10 more employees could retire. If that happens, the jail’s staffing levels would fall to 72%.
Schenck and the Sheriff Employee’s Association of Cayuga County have criticized the lack of a new contract for the custody officers. The most recent contract expired at the end of 2025 and there has not been progress toward a new agreement.
Neal Recckio, president of the Sheriff Employee’s Association of Cayuga County, was among the speakers at the Cayuga County Legislature meeting in July. He described the county’s contract offer as “deeply disappointing,” especially as custody officers work mandatory overtime and spend less time with their families.
” The Legislature needs to make reaching an agreement that will allow us to recruit and retain staff a priority,” Schenck told The Citizen. “I have been warning about this pending problem for too long.”
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