ROCHESTER, N.Y. — County jails across New York are facing the same issue — a shortage of jail deputies which, in some parts, unions say is putting workers at risk. In Monroe County, the situation isn’t quite as serious, but it’s still there.  

Jonice Smith works the midnight shift at Monroe County Jail, a first platoon job as a jailer, which she’s held for about a year. Growing up, it’s a job she never even considered.

What You Need To Know

  • County jails across New York are facing the same issue —  a shortage of recruits for jailer positions

  • Monroe County Jail has between 25 and 40 job openings

  • Working in the jail has many challenges, as does finding enough people willing to work in the jail

  • There’s a recruiting push for candidates to take the civil service exam

“I never once thought that I could be in this type of position," Smith said.

A chance meeting with a recruiter at a local mall changed that. Life inside jail is not an easy one, but Smith says the job is a fulfilling one.

“The most rewarding part of the job for me, it's making people laugh, making people feel good,” she said. “Because as you can imagine, when you're here, you're usually at a pretty low point your life."

Working in the jail has many challenges, as does finding enough people willing to work in the jail.

“Wherever you look, everybody's hiring,” said Monroe County Sheriff’s Office recruiter Amanda Hanlon. “There are signs everywhere.”

Monroe County Jail has between 25 and 40 job openings. Some former employees left for other law enforcement jobs, some retired. COVID-19 and the rigors of the job are other factors.

“This job is challenging,” Hanlon said. “So we need to make sure that somebody knows what they're getting into."

That’s why there’s a recruiting push for candidates to take the civil service exam. The deadline to sign up for the exam is Nov. 5.  

“Jail’s not an easy place to work for,” said an institutional helper at the jail, Abu Abdirahman. “I work with these guys, they know they’re not going home.”

Abdirahman was born in Somalia. His institutional helper job means he is sort of a "jack of all trades" in the jail. He plans on taking the exam with bigger career goals in mind — and the attitude to help him get there.

“I feel like, how I was raised, the way you treat people, that’s how they will treat you back,” Abdirahman said.

Aside from the civil service exam, potential jail candidates also undergo an extensive background check. For those up to it, the challenge of the job can also make for a rewarding career.

“In a way, we're like counselors,” Smith said. “Our job is not only to make sure that the facility and everyone inside a safe and secure, but to help people get through that tough situation."