Cayuga County Inmate Work Crews on Hold Due to Staffing Shortages

The sheriff’s office continues to recruit and fill open positions, with the goal of eventually restoring the program when staffing levels allow.

Local residents may have noticed the absence of inmate work crews that once cleaned roadsides, assisted municipalities, and completed special outdoor projects. According to Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck, the program has been suspended in recent years due to staffing shortages at the county jail.

For many years, inmate work crews were regularly deployed to assist with various tasks throughout the county. However, Schenck explained that with the need to maintain adequate staffing within the jail itself, there have not been enough available custody deputies to oversee inmates in the field.

“With staffing vacancies, we do not have the available custody deputies to provide supervision of the work crew inmates in the field,” Schenck said.

The sheriff’s office continues to recruit and fill open positions, with the goal of eventually restoring the program when staffing levels allow. However, until those vacancies are addressed, the program remains on hold.