LANSING, MI— Governor Whitmer’s office has not responded to a request by the Michigan Corrections Organization for the National Guard to help with severe staffing shortages at correctional facilities.
MCO President Byron Osborn says the shortages are resulting in mandatory overtime and 12- to 16-hour shifts at many prisons. He says half of state facilities have officer vacancy rates of 20 percent or higher, and five are above 30 percent. The staffing crisis has created unsafe working conditions for employees, and many have resigned because of the situation.
Osborn wants the National Guard to provide a custody presence in prisons that lack adequate numbers of officers.
The Michigan Department of Corrections says it has offered wage increases to address the staffing shortages. The department says the solution to the problem should be long-term, not a temporary measure such as bringing in the National Guard.
