COAD begs for more correctional officers; current CO’s working multiple overtime shifts

It's been a little over a year since the uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, but the efforts to defend the correctional officers are far from over. 

The Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, also known as COAD, has made it clear that they won't back down until a number of problems are corrected. 

Problems including staffing and overtime.

"It's unsustainable and it's unacceptable for anybody to think that we can continue to operate at this level of overtime and level of attention," COAD President, Geoff Klopp tells 47 ABC. 

We're told another month at the Smyrna facility, they will be hitting 50% of their operational needs through overtime shifts. Some correctional officers are working over 60 hours a week, some even more. 

Klopp says many of these CO's are at a breaking point. We're told it's been almost a year since they've been working in these conditions and they are getting tired. 

"It totally affects their performance. I mean you know in a job where you're paying attention to details and diligence you know having to work that much just increases ability for complacency and fatigue to creep in," Klopp tells us. 

But the CO's aren't the only ones getting tired, the inmates are aggravated. We're told with the lack of staff, they can't give the inmates certain programs because they don't have enough CO's to safely run those programs. 

COAD hopes to recruit more staff members but while they wait they will continue to push to protect the ones that are currently working,

"The inmates pay attention you know they live there and pay attention all the time and we are getting dangerous close to the possibility of having another horrific situation at one of our facilities."

Klopp believes the lack of a pay raise is making it difficult to recruit more corrections officers. 

47 ABC spoke to the Department of Corrections who says they've been hosting multiple fairs and events to recruit members and their efforts have not stopped. 

They say they've hired two full-time recruiters who are responsible for hiring capable candidates to join.

The DOC currently has 17 events left. Here's a list of the remaining ones:

1. March 22nd: Del- Tech Community College Fair (Wilmington location) 11:30am-2:00pm
2. March 22nd: Wilmington University New Castle Location Career Fair 2:00pm-4:00pm
3. March 27th: Washington Hiring Expo Washington Wizards Verizon Center (Washington D.C)
4. April 4th: Rosemont College Career Fair (Pennsylvania) 11:00am-2:00pm
5. April 5th: Cecil College Career Fair (Maryland)6:00pm-8:00pm
6. April 6th: University Of Scranton Career Fair (Pennsylvania)11:00am-2:00pm
7. April 10th: Stevenson University Career Fair (Maryland)3:00pm-5:00pm
8. April 11th: Wesley College Career Fair (Dover)1:00pm-4:00pm
9. April 12th: Dover Air Force Base Transition Summit Career Fair(Dover)8:00am-4:00pm
10. April 19th: Del-Tech Terry Campus Career Fair (Dover)
11. April 19th: 11th Annual NOBLE Delaware Chapter Career Fair, Del State University
12. April 28th: Diversity Law Enforcement Career Fair (Phil.)
13. May 1st: Fort Meade Military Spouse Career Fair (Maryland)
14. May 14th: Unemployment Job Fair Dover Public Library
15. May 18th: East Dover Elementary Career Café
16. June 9th: Safe Summer Day (Camden)
17. July 17th-27th: Delaware State Fair