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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County expressing the sense of Council regarding the search and hiring processes for a new Allegheny County Jail Warden.
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WHEREAS, on August 8, 2023, Chief Executive Fitzgerald announced the retirement of Allegheny County Jail Warden Orlando Harper, effective September 30, 2023; and,
WHEREAS, in the press release that announced this retirement, the Chief Executive indicated that the administration “will be working with President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark to identify a search firm. That firm will be tasked with putting together a full profile on the county and jail and will also be responsible for providing opportunities for the community to weigh in on the type of person that should be selected and the priorities that the person should have for the facility and its operations.”; and
WHEREAS that same press release indicated that the last search for a new ACJ Warden “took well over a year, and so the work being done now is intended to give the next county executive a head start in the search process.”; and
WHEREAS, within the context of identifying qualified candidates, it must also be remembered that there are significant challenges facing any new Warden; and
WHEREAS, among these challenges, a 2023 survey of ACJ corrections officers disclosed that:
· Over 90% of the respondents to the survey expressed disagreement with the statement that they feel valued and respected as a member of the ACJ staff, and over 59% of the respondents expressed this as a statement with which they “strongly disagree.”
· 92% indicated that they have increased concerns about their personal safety while at work.
· 100% indicated that the ACJ is not adequately staffed with corrections officers.
· Over 76% indicated that they are asked to perform work outside of their job descriptions, and almost 72% indicated that they do not feel they have been adequately trained to perform all of the tasks that they are required to undertake.
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