CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — The nationwide corrections officer shortage continues to take a toll, but a new program in South Carolina is working to alleviate the shortage.
After 16 years working in corrections, Chester County Detention Center Director T Neal said the position grew on her over time and this job has turned into a passion.
“You have to want to be in law enforcement to help people," Neal said. “This is definitely not for everybody.”
She said it's physically and mentally demanding, which can take its toll on people. Over the years, the Palmetto State has struggled with correction officer staffing.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections told WCNC Charlotte it's working to make the profession more eye-catching, and bumped up pay in 2023.
Chester County took its own steps. Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey explained its department is partnering with York Technical College for a new apprenticeship.
“We are just not going to turn them loose in the detention center, there are different variations of jobs back there," Dorsey said. "I am not aware of another program like this in South Carolina.”
It's because of a new law change. Last year, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill to lower the age requirement from 21 to 18.
With the demanding job, some worry if freshly graduated high schoolers can handle the intensity. Dorsey understood that but assures the public they are held to the same high standard.
“There’s not many professions out there that require all the background and psychological and all those things that we have to go through," Dorsey said.
A news release from the Chester County Sheriff's Office and York Technical College notes that students age 18 and older that are enrolled in a law enforcement program at the college will be able to receive paid training at the detention center. They are expected to be paid $14.50 an hour for up to 2,000 hours of training.
“The Criminal Justice Technology program at York Technical College must provide students with the education and experience needed to be successful in a field where professionalism is paramount," Tricia Hovis, department chair of Criminal Justice Technology at York Technical College, said. "This is a true representation of innovative technology for the field of corrections.”
During the apprentice, students are expected to be trained on policy, inmate supervision techniques, emergency management, first aid, proper inmate transportation techniques, and use of force regulations.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.