Date: 8/21/2019 4:31:10 PM

OVERWORKED STAFF
Ronald W. Clark Jr.

Correctional officers are resigning due to forced over time, having to come in on their days off and forced to work 16-hour shifts. I continue to witness this and hear staff complaints concerning this forced overtime.

But to those who are living in or around Florida, these prisons that are forcing these male and female officers into 16-hour shifts, six and seven days a week, are endangering your lives by putting mentally and physically exhausted workers behind the wheel 3,000 lbs automobile after their shifts. I've literally seen officers standing up in front of my cell about to fall asleep. They can't even keep their eyes open! All you've got at that point is a body. They're no good to the security of the institution because they're exhausted! When an individual is that tired, the last thing you want is to put that individual out there on the road.

This administration got mad at me last year for writing about this and putting it on my blog. Well, here I am a year later writing about it again. Because it's still happening! And it endangers your loved ones as well as mine. You've got people transferring and resigning from this administration because they don't want to work for them.

Maybe what Secretary Mark Inch needs to do is come in, pull officers to the side, and find out what the problem is. You can't question these officers and Sgts. in front of their bosses. You need to do it outside of eyes and ear shot of the administration. Not everyone is meant to be a leader. When you've got staff transferring and resigning, you've got to take note. You contact those staff members and question why they left.

What was the cause? Poor leadership? Or the leadership not caring for you? Clearly they think so little of them, they turn them out on the highways and back roads while they're exhausted. That's showing a total disregard for these officers' lives and the public. And most of these officers recognize this. They've told me this. Why do you think I'm writing about it? Because they've brought it to my attention. I hear their complaints over and over again.

And you know what? Their complaints are completely valid!

These officers are treated with little to no respect, forced into extra shifts where they are denied time with their family. And you want to know why the FDOC is losing officers? Well, there it is.

This administration doesn't want me talking about this. They made that clear last year. Send this to your legislature with a letter of protest. 'Cause the exhausted workers leaving here after 16 hours could be the person who falls asleep behind the wheel and take the life of your loved ones.

These officers do not need to be pushed around to the brink of exhaustion and forced into extra duty that robs them from time with their families. Be a voice. Speak up and be heard. Like I said, everyone isn't meant to be a leader, and the leadership within FDOC is evident of that.

Respectfully submitted in this cry for change,
Ronald W. Clark Jr. #812974

August 21, 2019