Garcia: Jail right-sizing a huge win for Erie County taxpayers

Guest Editorial by Sheriff John C. Garcia

Erie County Sheriff’s Office

Michael Phillips, the superintendent of our jail management division, recently told county legislators that, if he accomplishes just one thing while overseeing our correctional facilities, he hopes to improve working conditions for our staff.

Working in corrections is difficult and far from glamorous. Often, elected officials don’t make it any easier. We are seeing the results of mismanagement of New York state’s prisons. Their staff was fed up and many walked out. Superintendent Phillips and I share a motivation to improve the working conditions for our jail management division staff. They deserve nothing less from us.

That is one of the driving forces behind our pursuit of a new jail.

Last month, the results of a facility and operational needs assessment of our county jail system were released. After reviewing the report, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and I agreed that the right thing to do is to pursue the renovation and expansion of the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, and closure of the Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo. Construction comes with an estimated price tag of $429 million.

While that’s a big number, consider this: We would be able to save at least $15.3 million each year, conservatively, by right-sizing our personnel to staff a single facility. We would also be able to avoid $108 million in long-term capital and maintenance costs at the Erie County Holding Center over the next 30 years.

It is a huge win for Erie County taxpayers.

This project would also be a huge win for our hard-working jail deputies and correction officers. The needs assessment importantly notes that a priority “is to create a safe, positive and healthy work environment supporting professional development and growth.”

Modern jails are built differently than they were in the 1930s, when the Erie County Holding Center was built, and the 1980s, when the Erie County Correctional Facility was built. Best practices today emphasize natural daylight, appropriate colors, acoustics, temperature control and soft materials. All of these factors would improve employee wellness. We also have an opportunity to create a safer environment, which can reduce stress. These are all modern, evidence-based design principles.

Importantly, it also creates a better living environment for incarcerated individuals. A new facility would offer better programming opportunities and medical access for them.

The benefits are voluminous. I encourage you to visit the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning’s website. There, you can find the final report of the needs assessment. We are engaging with our partners in the Erie County Legislature to provide appropriate funding for a design study. As we do so, I continue to ask for your support of our great staff.