New CJC commissioner asks for larger budget, more officers as population rises

Commissioner Nate Haywood told the Budget and Public Employees Committee that safety and staffing are the Justice Center’s two central challenges as jail population rose during his tenure.

Haywood said he initially sought roughly $40.7 million for CJC operations in FY27; the administration’s proposed budget is about $33.8 million. He told the committee the facility has hired about 50 officers since he arrived but remains below a fully staffed level needed to restore broader out‑of‑cell recreation and robust direct supervision. “We hired at least 50 officers,” Haywood said, adding that pay competition with county and neighboring city employers continues to accelerate churn.

Haywood described operational steps already in place: a new classification unit and supervisor to reduce mixed populations, new body‑worn cameras being phased in (captains and lieutenants first, officers thereafter), scanners for legal mail to reduce contraband introduced via soaked paper, an “embassy box” pilot to allow voluntary surrender of contraband, and employee recognition and leadership training to improve retention.

He also requested new compliance and oversight positions — an accreditation manager and a PRIA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) coordinator — saying both are standard for modern correctional systems and help reduce litigation risk and improve policies. Haywood said camera and infrastructure upgrades are needed to close blind spots and support review of incidents, and he flagged rising medical and food costs as drivers of increased FY27 expense proposals.

What’s next: Haywood urged fuller funding for officer positions (the committee heard requests to restore some denied FTE) and asked the administration to consider salary adjustments and streamlined hiring to reduce training churn. Committee members signaled support for prioritizing officer staffing and cameras as near‑term needs.