New Hampshire National Guard Head To State Prison For Men In Concord

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire National Guard members are being sent to the state prison for men to assist due to staffing vacancies.

The state department of corrections requested the support of soldiers and airmen for non-supervisory roles after the department reached a vacancy rate of 51 percent for entry-level positions. This time a year ago, it was 39 percent. In March 2021, it was 30 percent, and 29 percent the year before that. So, for the next 90 days, 18 guardsmen will be deployed at the prison.

Gov. Chris Sununu approved the move, the department said.

The soldiers will not directly supervise inmates. But like the response to the coronavirus pandemic, where soldiers performed tasks like contact tracing, as well as an outbreak at the state prison in December 2020, they will be deployed to work other tasks like security control room posts, so corrections officers can work to supervise and interact with prisoners. The corrections department said control room posts manage movements within the unit, including remote opening and securing doors.

“The soldiers and airmen will begin a week of specialized corrections-specific training by the department of corrections before filling shifts,” a corrections department spokesperson said. “Training includes topics such as control room operations, inmate movement and count procedures, emergency operations, department rules and guidance, prison rape elimination act guidelines, and more. Training is anticipated to start next week.”

The department has numerous vacancies for nurses, teachers, chefs, maintenance staff, and correctional officers. There is a $10,000 hiring incentive available for corrections. Officers earn $44,000 to start, with a pay increase to $46,000 after academy completion and field training. Other benefits include overtime eligibility, hazard duty pay, shift differentials, paid vacation, holiday, sick leave, group II law enforcement pension, and health, dental, and life insurance.

Rich Gulla, the president of SEA/SEIU Local 1984, said the corrections department is just one example of state agencies facing staffing shortages.

The state, he said, has a vacancy rate of 30 percent and inflation challenges, low wages, and a high-stress work environment were some of the reasons.

“Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Charles Arlinghaus states that the gap between inflation and raises over the last five years is 15.3 percent,” Gulla said. “However, the governor's recently proposed budget, which consists of a 10 percent, followed by a 2 percent wage increase for all state employees, will go a long way in closing that gap while also helping all state agencies better compete in the labor market to attract, recruit and retain a well-qualified workforce.”

Gulla said the Legislature and House Finance Committee members needed to “consider all of the contributing factors supporting the need for wage increases within state government.” He said they also need to recognize the need for state employees' raises.

“We applaud Governor Sununu for taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our Department of Corrections employees,” Gulla added.

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