Lexington’s Community Corrections Staffing Returns to Pre-COVID Levels
Recent Graduates Boost Fayette Urban County Community Corrections Staffing Levels
In a remarkable stride forward, Lexington’s Fayette Urban County Community Corrections has announced a significant increase in its staffing levels, following the welcome addition of twenty newly graduated recruits to its team. As a testament to the department’s intensive nineteen-month long recruitment and hiring mission, staffing levels now stand at an encouraging 86%, a figure reminiscent of pre-COVID times.
A Celebration of Grit and Determination
The department celebrated the recruits’ completion of the demanding 12-week training course with a graduation ceremony held last Friday. This event was well-attended by families and friends of the recruits, as well as a strong cohort from the local first responder community.
Scott Colvin, the department’s Chief, voiced his pride in the determined group, emphasizing his recognition of their grit and resilience. He observed, “We have been rebuilding the division day-by-day for the last nineteen months and we are now 86% staffed and getting stronger.” Colvin continued to express his gratitude towards the department’s proficient training unit, attributing the lion’s share of this progress to their dedicated efforts.
Graduates Receive Comprehensive Training
This was much more than a graduation ceremony – it was the celebration of a grueling journey each recruit had undertaken. During the rigorous 12-week training course, the recruits honed a diverse range of skills, embracing everything from report writing to defensive tactics and firearms.
However, Chief Colvin insists that beyond these technical skills, two critical qualities define a phenomenal corrections officer – courage and empathy. As Colvin puts it, “You have to have courage because sometimes it’s just required to make the facility safe. You have to have empathy for human beings going through possibly the worst night of their life.”
The Role of a Corrections Officer
Perhaps no one understands the demands and rewards of the job better than one of the graduates, Morgan Fathergill. The new recruit, who herself has prior experience as a corrections officer in another county, recognizes the resonance of empathy in her role. She shares, “You have to really listen to their [the inmates] wants and needs sometimes because sometimes somebody has never been in jail before. They don’t know what to expect.”
However, it’s not just empathy that’s vital to maintaining a harmonious environment within the corrections center. Chief Colvin underscores the significance of supporting reentry of the inmates into society. He notes, “They’ll almost always will come up and say, ‘Hey do you remember me?’ It’s almost as if they want you to see them and that they made it back, it’s important to them.”
Fulfillment Through Service
The job of a corrections officer might be fraught with challenges and risks, but the rewards, as Colvin and Fathergill note, can be immensely fulfilling. The essence lies in providing support and fostering positive transformation during what could be the lowest point in someone’s life. It is this pursuit of change and potential for impact that continues to drive the tireless team of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Community Corrections Center.
With the newest additions to the team, the center looks forward to advancing its primary objective of facilitating effective reentry of its inmates into society and promises to continue its rigorous hiring and training program to fill the remaining positions.
More About the Application and Screening Process
For those interested in joining this noble service, the essentials requirements include being at least 21 years of age, possessing a high school diploma or a GED and a clean record devoid of any felonies. More detailed information regarding the application process and engagement can be found on the Lexington-Fayette Urban Community Corrections’ official website.
