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26 <br /> 1 said that each post will require about 2.4 full time equivalents for every 12-hour shift <br /> 2 requirement. <br /> 3 Commissioner McKee said he recalled a discussion of the need for new personnel when <br /> 4 the new facility was being built and asked the Sheriff to describe the conversation. <br /> 5 Sheriff Blackwood said the entire facility is now more secure and efficient compared to <br /> 6 the previous design. He said that the operation of a detention center requires more people <br /> 7 because there are more stations. <br /> 8 Commissioner McKee asked if more personnel are needed to transport the inmates. <br /> 9 Sheriff Blackwood said yes and that transport teams within the facility and transport <br /> 10 teams outside the facility for transport to courthouse have been created for that. <br /> 11 Commissioner McKee asked if the number would get them operational efficiency <br /> 12 regarding safety of the inmates and safety of the personnel. <br /> 13 Sheriff Blackwood said yes. He said they have met with both managers and the person <br /> 14 that did the study. He said he expressed concern with adding 31 employees. He said that <br /> 15 reducing it below fifteen would be catastrophic. He said that he will try it, and the command staff <br /> 16 have visited the detention center every day. He said they have had roundtable discussions <br /> 17 within the detention center to determine peak times and when additional personnel might be <br /> 18 needed. He said that his patrol staff are not detention certified so they need to be cautious. <br /> 19 Commissioner McKee said that goes to his concern about fifteen not being enough <br /> 20 because they have had a very good record of not having major incidents and he wants to staff <br /> 21 at a level to continue that. <br /> 22 Sheriff Blackwood said that he is a co-chair of the Governor's Crime Commission and in <br /> 23 2017 they commissioned a study of prisons across the nation. He said that the most <br /> 24 outstanding takeaway from the study was that adequate staff and leadership must be strong — <br /> 25 therefore investment in personnel must come first and effectiveness is not guaranteed without <br /> 26 trained staff. <br /> 27 Commissioner Richards encouraged the other commissioners to visit the detention <br /> 28 center. She said that seeing it made her better aware of the needs. <br /> 29 Commissioner McKee also encourage commissioners to visit the old detention center for <br /> 30 context. <br /> 31 Sheriff Blackwood said it is a complete transition from the old one. He said that he has <br /> 32 been in this business for 42 years and the detention center is the best thing to have happened <br /> 33 to their department during that time. He said you see chairs and opportunities in the center and <br /> 34 that he is very excited about that. He said that they have talked about building a garden where <br /> 35 people could take pictures. <br /> 36 Chair Price said there is judge's bench in the detention center and asked about <br /> 37 transportation needs. <br /> 38 Sheriff Blackwood said that they there are some requirements under the law that <br /> 39 mandate certain inmates be taken to the courthouse, but they process as many as they can at <br /> 40 the jail. <br /> 41 <br /> 42 <br />