St. Joseph County commissioners approved a request from Undersheriff Jason Bingaman regarding an exception to the county’s hiring freeze.
During Tuesday’s commission meeting, Bingaman explained that a full-time deputy left the facility to take a security-related role at the courthouse.
With that, Bingaman said the $70,000 position is already in the county’s 2021 fiscal year budget and his request was merely to fill the vacancy created with the departure of the former corrections deputy.
On a side note, Bingaman said the department is struggling to find candidates for corrections positions. He said in St. Joseph County and across the state, there is a shortage of candidates able to meet qualifying prerequisites to even be considered for employment and subsequently sent to corrections-training school.