BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Flashback to 2022, the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) declared a state of emergency due to staffing. The Bernalillo County Jail was facing a 51% vacancy rate – a level too high to properly look after inmates.
“It was a stressful time, particularly for officers that were required to work long hours, it was stressful for the inmates who were often forced to be locked down,” said Michael Roane, the Recruiting Manager for MDC.
On Friday, nearly two years later, MDC said progress is being made.
“We’re not completely where we need to be. I think we’re continuing to make strides,” Roane said.
There’s about a 30% vacancy rate now, needing 140 more corrections officers to be fully staffed.
“I attribute that to our recruiting program that we put in place. We have been very aggressively marketing and advertising,” Roane said.
Hiring events, a 13% pay increase for corrections officers, and a $5,000 to $10,000 hiring incentive depending on experience are just some of the reasons Roane believes they’re sitting in a better spot.
Starting at $20.34 an hour, then a bump after finishing the Detention Center Academy and another after the first year, Roane said there’s a possibility there could be another increase too.
Roane believes being a corrections officer is more than just a job and says they are trying to target people who have a sense of service.
“Corrections officers provide a service that most people don’t have an appreciation for: keeping inmates safe, keeping their fellow officers safe.”
If you’re interested in joining their team, click HERE or check out their next career fair on May 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MDC.
