Eastern Shore Delegation to send governor letter supporting more ECI staff

Salisbury, Md. – On Thursday, state legislators attended a rally in support of more staff at the largest men’s prison in Maryland and they have said they’re taking the issue straight to the governor.

WMDT spoke with State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R – District 38, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties) who said her and other members of the Eastern Shore Delegation are sending a letter to Governor Wes Moore on Tuesday. She says the letter will be in the interest of collaborating to improve public health at the prison and ask for what she calls common sense reforms to hiring.

She said while there do need to be background checks, they should not take over a year.

“Especially when we are losing some of our applicants at ECI to go to other agencies,” Carozza said.

She argued certain reforms to hiring need to be made in order to keep staff as well as inmates safe.

“You need to make sure you have the proper staffing for a safe environment in the prison,” Carozza said. “And that’s safe not only for the ECI personnel, it’s for the inmate population and for the general public.​”