Letter to the editor: Allegheny County Jail staffing at crisis point

Many statements were made at the last Jail Oversight Board meeting regarding the jail violating the referendum regarding residents needing to be out of their cells for four hours a day. Families are coming to the jail after paying for parking and told 15 minutes before their visit with their loved one that the visit was cancelled.

The jail’s staffing crisis is the primary cause. Our controller’s audit report revealed we need 100 more officers. Our 2024 job satisfaction survey completed by 194 officers revealed that many officers are working 80 hours a week, 40 hours of forced overtime for months.

In addition, 95% of the officers disagreed with the statement, “Each shift is staffed with enough COs”; 89% of the officers agreed with the statement, “Overtime has affected my physical and mental health”; 86% of the officers agreed with the statement, “Concern for my physical safety has become more of a problem.”

Regarding whether working conditions have improved, 72% of the officers strongly disagree or disagree with the statement, “Since Warden Harper’s departure, working conditions have improved on my job.”

I have reviewed 505 of the officer’s individual statements and I can definitely say a primary yardstick the officers are using is this forced overtime problem.

As a first priority, I believe our jail administration, our Jail Oversight Board, our front-line staff and the public need to work together to confront the jail’s staffing crisis.

John Kenstowicz

Morningside The writer works as an advocate to improve living and working conditions at the Allegheny County Jail.