Every inmate transport carries risk — to staff, budgets and public trust. Yet too often, agencies treat extraditions as one-off events instead of planned operations. This four-part series explores why readiness matters and how a structured approach can turn uncertainty into control.
Last month, we provided a framework for building an extradition readiness plan, this month we look at strategies for cutting overtime costs, then we will look at leveraging technology to improve safety and compliance, and training transport officers for real-world readiness. Together, these insights offer a roadmap for any corrections agency looking to strengthen its operations from the inside out.
By John Comissiong
Two deputies. One transport. Forty-eight hours and nearly eight thousand dollars gone.
Extradition remains one of the most unpredictable costs in corrections. Leaders nationwide are bringing it under control through planning, data and fixed-cost partnerships that ease pressure on staffing and budgets while improving morale.
A single two-day out-of-state trip can exceed $7,900 once salaries, lodging, fuel and backfill overtime are included. Multiply that by even a modest number of warrants each month and the cumulative impact can absorb tens of thousands of dollars that were never planned for.
The largest share of that cost, nearly 40%, comes directly from personnel overtime. Add backfill coverage, per diem allowances and vehicle wear, and each unplanned extradition becomes a drain on both manpower and morale.
Strategic corrections leaders in 2025 and beyond are reducing overtime by taking a proactive approach to extradition planning rather than a reactive one, using data from their own operations and lessons learned from agencies nationwide.
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Track the true cost of transport
Every effort to reduce overtime begins with one step: knowing what transports really cost. Most agencies record mileage, fuel and meals but overlook the hidden expenses that quietly consume budgets year after year.
Look beyond the obvious costs
A two-day in-house extradition typically involves two sworn deputies, which means double pay for travel time, overtime and backfill coverage at the facility. Add lodging, meals, vehicle wear and administrative time, and the true cost quickly climbs. Data from multiple agencies show the total average for a standard two-day extradition reaches about $7,940 in combined personnel and operational expenses.
Those costs often break down as follows:
- Personnel (base pay + overtime): about 38%
- Backfill staffing to cover shifts: about 19%
- Lodging and per diem: about 16%
- Vehicle wear and maintenance: about 11%
- Fuel, insurance and incidentals: about 9%
Build a complete picture
Without visibility into those layers, leaders end up planning budgets based only on fuel receipts and per diem requests, missing the much larger impact on staffing and morale. Implementing a simple transport cost log that records hours, staffing and destination for every trip takes little time but provides invaluable insight.
Use data to drive decisions
After just a few months of consistent tracking, patterns emerge: which destinations consume the most overtime, which routes could be combined and which assignments routinely exceed policy thresholds. With that data in hand, agencies can move from reactive budgeting to proactive planning, turning guesswork into strategy and restoring control over one of their most unpredictable operational costs.
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Build predictability into scheduling
Unplanned transports drive overtime because they interrupt established shifts, forcing agencies to reassign personnel, extend hours or leave local posts understaffed. Predictability begins when transports are viewed not as emergencies but as recurring operational tasks that can be scheduled, grouped and forecasted like any other essential duty.
Aggregate where possible
When agencies group transports by region or destination, they eliminate redundant trips and reduce idle travel time. For example, rather than sending separate teams to neighboring jurisdictions within the same week, combining routes into a single coordinated run minimizes miles, fuel and overtime hours. It also ensures deputies spend more time on post and less time on the road.
Align with existing duty cycles
Scheduling extraditions to overlap with normal shifts prevents unplanned overtime before it starts. Supervisors who coordinate transports alongside regular scheduling, rather than layering them on top, maintain staffing coverage at home and improve rest compliance for transport officers.
Forecast with data, not urgency
Historical warrant and extradition data reveal predictable patterns: certain months, jurisdictions or case types generate more activity than others. Agencies that analyze this data can project annual transport demand, budget accordingly and schedule with confidence instead of reacting to last-minute requests.
Departments that shift from ad hoc transport assignments to structured weekly or monthly scheduling consistently report measurable reductions in overtime, improved morale and better balance between transport duties and in-house responsibilities. Over time, that consistency becomes its own form of readiness, ensuring that extraditions happen efficiently, safely and without unnecessary strain on staff or budgets.
Strengthen coordination and decision-making
Every extradition requires multiple points of coordination: who is assigned, when the team departs, what route they take and how coverage at home will be maintained. When these decisions are made in isolation or at the last minute, overtime becomes unavoidable.
Create clarity before the call
A well-structured transport decision matrix removes uncertainty and gives supervisors clear, defensible criteria to follow. This tool doesn’t add bureaucracy; it replaces guesswork with consistency. Establishing a standardized framework for decision-making ensures that similar requests receive similar responses, regardless of who is on duty.
Key components of a decision matrix include:
- Approval authority. Define who can authorize out-of-state or overnight transports and under what conditions.
- Staffing thresholds. Determine the minimum staffing levels that must be maintained before personnel can be reassigned to transport duties.
- Operational criteria. Identify triggers for deferral, consolidation or alternate arrangements based on distance, risk or timing.
Document, communicate and train
Once the matrix is built, distribute it to all supervisors and reinforce it through briefing and policy review. Documenting the process provides both transparency and accountability. It allows leadership to audit decisions, justify expenses and demonstrate due diligence to oversight bodies.
Agencies that formalize their transport decision process often find that the benefits go beyond cost savings. Decision-making becomes faster, coverage more predictable and communication smoother between divisions. Over time, that structure builds confidence, trust and a shared sense of control across the organization.
Use data to inform budget and staffing requests
Reliable data transforms anecdotal complaints into actionable evidence. After six months of detailed transport tracking, an agency can present a clear case for resource reallocation.
For example, jurisdictions serving 100,000 residents average roughly ten extraditions per year, equating to $79,000 in annual unplanned cost at current in-house rates. With accurate reporting, leadership can justify additional scheduling flexibility, shared-service agreements or dedicated transport personnel, each of which lowers overtime exposure.
Prioritize safety as a core operational standard
Safety is the foundation of every professional transport operation. Long drives, overnight travel and irregular hours demand careful planning to protect both staff and those in custody. Effective transport programs schedule rest, plan routes and conduct vehicle inspections as part of daily readiness, not as optional precautions.
When agencies build these safeguards into standard procedure, they reduce risk, strengthen public trust and ensure every transport is conducted with professionalism and care. The result is greater consistency, fewer disruptions and improved confidence across the organization.
Operational impact
When extradition evolves from an emergency response to a managed process, departments gain more than efficiency — they gain stability. Every decision made in advance, every hour of data analyzed and every plan documented translates directly into stronger coverage, healthier teams and predictable budgets.
The results speak for themselves:
- Lower overtime expenditures through data-driven scheduling and coordinated planning.
- Improved coverage and morale as sworn staff remain available for core duties rather than being reassigned at the last minute.
- Predictable budgets grounded in real transport data, allowing leaders to forecast expenses with confidence.
- Reduced liability achieved through standardized procedures, consistent rest policies and clear documentation.
For agencies of any size — from small rural sheriff’s offices to state departments of corrections — the principle remains constant: strategic leaders recognize that true fiscal responsibility goes beyond balancing a budget. It requires discipline, structure and consistent procedures that support their teams and strengthen the communities they serve. By investing time in planning and consistency, agencies build safer, more sustainable operations that protect both people and budgets.
About the author
John Comissiong is the president of Security Transport Services, Inc., a national leader in secure prisoner transport. He has more than 25 years of experience in leadership, logistics, and public safety operations and is dedicated to helping law enforcement agencies improve compliance, efficiency, and safety in prisoner transport operations. Learn more: ReadinessPlan.us.
| WATCH: How complacency can turn a routine inmate transport into disaster