Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is asking lawmakers to transfer $8.2 million to pay for the continued deployment of Florida National Guard members at state prisons through the rest of this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
National Guard members have helped at prisons for more than two years, as the correctional system struggles with high job-vacancy rates and an increase in the number of inmates.
The Department of Corrections submitted a request for the $8.2 million to the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which is made up of House and Senate members and can make mid-year budget decisions.
The Department of Corrections “continues to experience correctional officer staffing shortages resulting in extensive use of overtime hours to cover security posts,” the agency’s request said.
The money for the National Guard members is among several budget requests the commission is slated to consider on Wednesday.
DeSantis issued an initial executive order in September 2022 to activate National Guard members because of staffing shortages at prisons.
The governor has issued a series of subsequent orders to extend the National Guard’s work. In December, DeSantis issued an order saying another six-month extension was necessary “because ongoing staffing shortages, although much improved, continue to threaten the safety of officers, inmates, and the public.” Last month’s order, which expires June 9, also said “the temporary assistance of the Florida National Guard has proven necessary for the care, custody, and control of inmates.”
The budget request submitted to the commission said “correctional officer recruitment and retention has improved” amid the National Guard’s assistance, but new correctional officers must complete a 13-week training program, “which delays their assignment to critical security posts.”
The request said National Guard members “will continue in their existing role providing temporary relief to support current FDC (Florida Department of Corrections) staff and provide additional time for new correctional officer hires to complete their training.”
