Arizona county could 'reduce' jail population if more corrections officers don't get vaccinated

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One Arizona county may be forced to "reduce" the number of inmates being held in jails because of a new vaccine requirement for certain county employees that is affecting jail personnel.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted on Nov. 2 to approve a vaccine requirement for county employees who work with vulnerable populations, which includes corrections officers who are employed at the county jails.

According to the approved requirement, the deadline for employees who work with vulnerable populations to get vaccinated is Jan. 1, or their employment will be terminated.

In a memorandum to the board of supervisors, Jan Lesher, the chief deputy county administrator for Pima County outlined that if there are still a substantial number of corrections officers who are unvaccinated by Jan. 1, the jail population may need to be reduced.

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Pima County Sheriff's Department Badge. (Credit: Pima County Sheriff's Department)

"Currently we have a substantial number of corrections officers who work in the Pima County Adult Detention Center, and are therefore subject to this vaccine requirement, who are not fully vaccinated. Should this be the case on January 1, there may be fewer corrections officer, which may result in a need to reduce the [Pima County Adult Detention Center] population," Lesher wrote. 

"I am hopeful that once we are past the immediate efforts to reduce the jail population in connection with the vaccine mandate, we will continue to work to reduce unnecessary use of incarceration in Pima County," she added.

Board of Supervisors member Rex Scott told Fox News that the number of correctional officers who are getting vaccinated is on the rise but said that if a reduction in the jail population has to be made, a number of non-violent individuals being held in jail could be released.

"If it does turn out that current detainees in the jail are going to be released, they are non-violent, non-dangerous people who are primarily in there because they violated their probation," Scott said.

Picture of the Pima County Adult Detention Center. (Credit: Pima County Sheriff's Department) ((Credit: Pima County Sheriff's Department))

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He noted that the releases, if necessary, will be dealt with on a "case-by-case" basis, and will be controlled by the sheriff, county attorney, public defender services, and probation officers.

Scott said that he'd rather "not be in that position" where inmates would have to be released, but said that he hopes that the number of vaccinated correctional officers will increase.

Currently, according to Scott, 187 correctional officers are unvaccinated. He views the approved vaccine requirement as a reasonable measure since it doesn't apply to every county employee.

"It's not a sweeping mandate, for example, within our sheriff's department, as I said, it only applies to people who work at the jail. It doesn't apply to rank and file deputies who work out in the community. Those folks may deal with vulnerable populations from time to time. But that's not their exclusive or primary responsibility," he said.

Picture of the Pima County Sheriff's Department. (Credit: Pima County Sheriff's Department) ((Credit: Pima County Sheriff's Department))

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In April 2020, during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Pima County officials found themselves in a similar position where some inmates at the Pima County Adult Detention Center were released in an attempt to prevent a potential outbreak.

Inmates who were considered for release were primarily being held for crimes such as probation violations, simple drug possession, or low-level property crimes. Lesher wrote in her Dec. 6 memorandum that some of these same types of crimes may be eligible for release if there is a shortage of correctional officers because of the vaccine requirement.