By Matthew Bieniek
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND, Md. — A representative of many local correctional officers asked members of the District 1 legislative delegation for help with staffing and other issues during the delegation’s precession meeting Monday evening.
Low staffing levels have created “a dangerous situation,” said Jeff Grabenstein, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 898 president.
AFSCME represents correctional officers at Western Correctional Institution and North Branch Correctional Institution, both in Cresaptown. The institutions are both involved in an accreditation process with the American Correctional Association that puts strains on resources.
“It means more we have to do and we have fewer officers to do it with,” said Grabenstein, a Cumberland resident.
Legislators offered some comfort, saying that it looked like next year’s budget would be adding correctional officers to the prisons.
Grabenstein said his organization also opposes increasing the time allowed from 90 days to one year for investigation of correctional officers accused of wrongdoing or breaking rules and regulations inside the prison.
“An officer should not be held dangling for a year,” Grabenstein said.
“Correctional officers everywhere in the state should have the same disability rights granted to firefighters and police officers based on heart disease and high blood pressure,” Grabenstein said.
Delegate Kevin Kelly said it makes no sense that correctional officers in some counties are covered for such illnesses, while state correctional officers are not. The District 1 legislative delegation is made up of Sen. George Edwards and Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Kelly and LeRoy Myers Jr.
Copyright 2013 the Cumberland Times News