Mark Stine

KOLD News 13 Reporter

"We're really at a critical juncture in the department we are short thousands of beds."

A shortage, Arizona Department of Corrections Director Dora Schriro says needs to be addressed immediately.

Schriro explained, "If we don't have sufficient capacity then it gets to be really dicey in a hurry."

Each month, Schriro says 160 inmates are added to Arizona State Prisons. "We have a huge backlog and now a pressing immediate situation."

Captain Timothy Cox sees first hand just how bad the bed shortage is. "I can think of a recent case when we had a couple parole violators coming in and it took us four hours to find somewhere to put them."

Last year, the Arizona State Legislature approved money across the board for the Department of Corrections. The Director says it was a great first step. "But that's what it is a first step. We have many other issues that still need to be addressed."

One of those issues is competitive wages for departmental supervisors. Schriro hopes to get more money for a compensation pay plan.

Cox told KOLD, "The salaries have gotten very disproportionate to each other."

Cox, who oversees more than 100 officers, says he doesn't get paid like he has that much responsibility.

"More than half of my lieutenants and about half the lieutenants in the state, I think it's 42% make more than I do," Cox explained.

The uneven wages don't stop at Captains and Lieutenants.

Sgt. Gerard Bonorand said, "As a sergeant I'm making more than many of my Lieutenants."

A sergeant for seven years, Bonorand says, at this point the amount of compensation doesn't match the added responsibility. "There's no motivation to move on."

The Department of Corrections hopes with the help of the Legislature and the compensation plan, those feelings will be different in the coming years.