Exclusive: Entry-level staff for prison system

New entry-level support officers are to be deployed in the prison system to bolster staffing while saving money.

Some guards have raised concerns that the new recruits will be ill-equipped to deal with inmates when the need arises — but prison boss Eddie Lambe -yesterday gave an assurance that they will have -“minimal contact” with inmates and be given full training.

Guards also worry that that use of the new recruits will eat into their overtime, which for some can total as much as 100 hours a month.

Lt Col Lambe, Commissioner of Prisons, said a new entry level of prison officer is being created, -Operational Support Grade. The move comes as a Government freeze on hiring new -officers is lifted so that a staff shortage in the prison system can be addressed. 

Col Lambe, said: “It’s still a prison officer’s job, but it’s more of an operational support grade,” he said. “In the fullness of time they’ll go up to the next grade in the prison officer’s scale.

“The new entry level position will basically mean… they’ll be performing operational duties like gate keeping and similar duties that will have minimal interaction with inmates. Eventually those ranks will be promoted to a position where they will have contact with inmates.

 “The Prison Officers Association, which represents all prison officers, are firmly onboard with this new grade officer. We have outlined to all staff these new officers will receive the exact same training as a normal prison officer would receive. The only difference is they’ll be coming in at an entry level position. They will have the requisite training all prison officers have, including control and restraint.”

Col Lambe said the real concern for some officers is it will eat into their overtime and there will be a reduction in that “because we’ll now have more people to fill the vacancies. Now we’re filling vacancies by using overtime.

“Officers are told on day one of employment that they ought not to count on overtime as a source of income.”

He said that should be a non-issue and that there will still be some overtime due to vacations and illness, but it won’t be as much as before.

The new officers’ salaries will come in below the current starting pay, which will help save Government money.

Lt Col Lambe said a new recruitment class will be called for soon to fill the seven current vacancies in the prison system, plus an additional five or so positions to be created by promotions. 

“We’re not only looking to fill the seven vacancies but we’re also going to start the promotion process so we’re looking to create vacancies created by promotions. The promotions process will start in earnest very shortly.”

Col Lambe said the last intake of prison officers was “well over two years ago” so it was time to fill the ranks He said some officers have retired since then as well as some who have moved on. 

He said there was some paperwork to be filed so a new recruitment class could be called “but we’re in the advanced stages so we’re hoping to start some recruiting in another month or so.”

Freeze

Col Lambe added the training would take eight weeks once the recruits were whittled down from the applicants . 

“There also had been some freeze on hiring by Government.

“We have quite an extensive selection process that starts with all the applicants having to go through a fitness assessment and that’s the first filter that we have.”

Col Lambe said after that recruits would also have to pass a medical exam. If they pass that, then they have to pass a written test; a psychological test and then the final interview stage.

“Whoever makes that final stage, is then assessed as to who is best suited to become a prison officer.”

The commissioner said they are looking for applicants between 21 and 45. 

“Even 21 is rather young, but we are looking for a person who is mature enough and enough life experience to deal with, manage and interact with inmates.”

Dennis Brown, head of the Prison Officer’s Association declined comment saying Col Lambe was the best person to address the issue.

The Bermuda Sun understands, however, that there is some concern among the POA about the new entry grade position.

Some guards question how the new officers will be kept away from prisoners, especially in emergency situations, and whether or not they will have proper training to deal with prisoners if their basic duty is not to interact with inmates. Others expressed concern about the new recruits cutting into their overtime. n