PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Commissioners are seeking bids from armed security companies to staff positions at the Clallam County Courthouse and Juvenile and Family Center.
The commissioners will call for bids at their regular meeting set for 10 a.m. Oct. 17 in the commissioners meeting room in the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. The Juvenile and Family Center is located at 1912 W. 18th St.
Chief Corrections Deputy Don Wenzl told the commissioners that despite recruiting efforts, he still has 11 corrections deputy vacancies and could lose another six or seven in the coming months, bringing vacancies up to 50 percent.
“Comparing to what others are doing, (the state Department of Corrections) is blowing our socks off when it comes to compensation,” Clallam County Sheriff Brian King said. “It really comes down to compensation.”
If the corrections deputies’ positions can’t be adequately staffed, the jail might have to close off a wing and impose severe booking restrictions that aren’t in place now, he said.
The county is seeking two armed security personnel for eight hours a day, five days a week at the courthouse and one armed security person for 10 hours a week on a flexible schedule depending on the juvenile court.
The security company will be responsible for access control for the courthouse, courtrooms and commissioners meetings; surveillance of key areas of the courthouse, courtrooms, commissioners meeting room and county offices; to assist in emergency response; patrol the courthouse; and screen courthouse visitors for prohibited items.
In August 2022, the commissioners approved a contract with Norpoint Protective Services of Port Angeles to provide courthouse security through the remainder of that year. The $46,200 came from unspent deputy salaries. The contract has been extended routinely since in four-month increments.
Wenzl wrote in a later email that staff had to cover 736 hours of overtime last month and they have 656 hours scheduled for this month, and that’s just to keep the jail operational.
If another six corrections deputies leave due to retirement, move to patrol or support positions at local agencies or leave the career altogether, the jail will have roughly 52 percent vacant positions, he wrote.
“We have been battling staffing levels for several years, but not at this critical level,” Wenzl wrote. “Normal vacancy levels usually were 2-3 openings, but this allowed us to run our CREW teams (which help out in the Olympic National Forest) as well as fully staff our positions for Courthouse security.”
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.