“Rebuilding a forgotten division starts with remembering who built it — the corrections deputies and civilian staff who’ve kept this agency running when leadership forgot their names.”.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office operates several correctional facilities, including a maximum-security jail that also serves as our county’s intake and trial housing center. For far too long, this division has been under-resourced, understaffed, and overlooked. Evidence and firsthand accounts have made it clear: the Corrections Division is struggling under the weight of toxic leadership, chronic manpower shortages, and an unsustainable workload. The result is a culture that has quietly deteriorated over the past two decades—driving out good employees and putting both staff and inmates at risk.

This isn’t an attack on the men and women working inside those walls—it’s a call to defend them. Our corrections deputies and civilian staff have been carrying the weight of an agency that has treated them as an afterthought. Mandatory overtime has become the norm, with employees so exhausted they sleep in their cars between shifts. Sick callouts are constant, not because the staff doesn’t care, but because they’ve been pushed beyond their limits. Many correctional deputies seek to recertify into law enforcement roles just to escape the environment—an indictment of leadership, not the rank and file.

As Sheriff, I will make immediate and lasting changes. We will launch an aggressive recruitment campaign at military bases, law enforcement agencies, local colleges, and career fairs to rebuild staffing levels. We will explore dual-certification programs allowing deputies to cross-train between law enforcement and corrections, improving flexibility and relieving operational strain. Most importantly, we will conduct a top-to-bottom leadership audit within the Corrections Division to hold command staff accountable for culture and performance.

Our correctional facilities are a direct reflection of our professionalism and our values. The people who work there deserve to be led, not left behind. Under my administration, the Corrections Division will no longer be a secondary concern—it will be a cornerstone of our agency’s pride, safety, and professionalism.

Q: How will you address the chronic understaffing in the jails?
We will begin a targeted recruitment campaign focused on military veterans, lateral transfers from other agencies, and college graduates seeking public service careers. We’ll also create incentive programs for retention and an early merit based promotion opportunities based on performance and professionalism.

Q: What steps will you take to improve working conditions for correctional deputies?
Mandatory overtime will be reduced through better staffing and smarter scheduling. We will also introduce wellness programs, including on-site counseling, fitness access, and decompression areas. A leadership audit will ensure that supervisors are held accountable for morale and fairness in scheduling.

Q: Will you improve communication between corrections and law enforcement?
Yes. Our goal is one unified agency—not separate silos. Dual-certification programs and joint training initiatives will create operational understanding between divisions, improving safety and efficiency.

Q: How will leadership accountability be enforced in the Corrections Division?
We will conduct a comprehensive review of all command-level staff, measuring leadership effectiveness, employee feedback, and performance outcomes. Supervisors who fail to lead with integrity and professionalism will be retrained, reassigned, or replaced.

• Aggressive Recruitment: Engage military bases, colleges, and partner agencies to rebuild staffing.
   
• Dual Certification: Cross-train law enforcement and corrections deputies for flexibility and shared expertise.
   
• Leadership Audit: Evaluate all supervisors and commanders for effectiveness, morale impact, and accountability.
   
• Culture Rebuild: End the cycle of neglect by restoring respect, communication, and professionalism within the ranks.
   
• Workforce Wellness: Implement wellness checks, fair scheduling, and fatigue mitigation programs.
   
• Professional Standards: Make corrections a proud, visible cornerstone of PBSO—not an afterthought.