ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Ector County has been dealing with an employee shortage for a few years now and that includes the Ector County Detention Center.
"Probably the last four or five years we we've seen a decrease in personnel and a decrease in applicants," said Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis.
Texas law requires one jailer to every 48 inmates at all times, but looking at recent trends, that is not something the detention center can do.
"We have enough space to house all of our inmates," Sheriff Griffis said. "We just don't have enough staff."
A lack of jailers can inevitably create safety issues.
"That’s the last thing we want is for any of our people to get hurt so and its for the benefit of the inmates and our staff also," Sheriff Griffis said. "Therefore we try to keep enough on the floor. We like to have extra on the floor if we if we can. But right now it's hard to do that some days."
For the time being, Ector County is reaching out to other counties to help with housing.
"We entered into an agreement with Winkler County to house over inmates," Sheriff Griffis said. "We're actually going to pull inmates from another jail and bring them to Winkler County. It's much, much closer and it's cheaper. So it'll be better on us in the long, I mean money wise, financially and logistically they’ll be closer so not as much traveling."
The jail will also partner with Odessa College to allow students to earn certifications by the time they graduate and get straight to work.
The process to become a law enforcement officer is lengthy, but this job is more than just a uniform.
"We have a lot of people that have made their career here and been here many, many years and it's really not a job It's a way of life," Sheriff Griffis said. "You have to commit yourself to this way of life."