DENVER—U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) sent a letter last week to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons calling for action to address issues with understaffing and unsustainable working conditions at the Federal Correctional Complex in Florence (FCC Florence). Pettersen visited the facility earlier this month and heard directly from officers about the impact the low pay, forced overtime, and dangerous conditions are having on morale, attrition rates, and recruitment and training at FCC Florence.
In the letter, Pettersen requests immediate action to simplify and expedite hiring, as well as to increase support for the current workforce at the prison.
“The workforce at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Florence, Colorado continues to be overworked and understaffed. Action from the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been much too slow to support the Officers,” wrote Pettersen. “Employees continue to struggle with forced overtime leading to dangerous conditions at the nation’s only supermax facility.”
“A fully-staffed prison is a safe prison. Representative Pettersen has been committed to helping Local 1169 address our concerns since the moment she was sworn in. Her recent visit to FCC Florence put management on notice that this is important to her and needs to be addressed,” said AFGE 1169 Union President John Butkovich. “I'm hopeful the Bureau of Prisons will take note, and do what is right by the staff at FCC Florence and the community we protect. I would like to thank Representative Pettersen for her dedication to helping FCC Florence to become fully staffed and safe, she is a champion for both Law Enforcement and Labor.”
This is Pettersen’s second letter about the problems at this facility, the first of which she sent on January 10th, just three days after she was sworn-in to Congress. Pettersen has been partnering with key local leaders surrounding this issue, including AFGE 1169, the local union representing the prison workforce, who have been pushing for reforms for years.
The full text of the letter can be found here and below. The letter sent in January can be found here.
Dear Director Peters,
This letter serves as a follow up to issues raised in a letter that I wrote to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on January 10, 2023. The workforce at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Florence, Colorado continues to be overworked and understaffed. Action from the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been much too slow to support the Officers. On Friday, April 14, I visited the FCC officers to see the issues that they are experiencing first-hand.
AFGE 1169, the local union representing the prison workforce, has asked for additional direct-hire authority positions. It is my understanding the Office of Personnel Management’s previous allotment of 62 direct hire positions have been exhausted. Employees continue to struggle with forced overtime leading to dangerous conditions at the nation’s only supermax facility. It seems imperative to request additional direct-hire authority positions to ease these conditions.
It has been 18 months since AFGE 1169 has brought the serious understaffing and safety concerns to light. In the past 12 months, over 160 new staff have been hired. However, FCC Florence has retained less than 25 staff members in that time according to your staffing reports. These reports show an increase in Correctional Officers, but a decline in case managers, counselors, nurses, and other essential non-correctional staff.
FCC Florence has proven, with direct-hire authority, the ability to bring on staff. The renewal of this authority, combined with the 25% retention would allow the complex to continue to hire at expedited rates, while maintaining staff in crucial non-correctional positions. These efforts would support a safe custodial environment, along with the provision of quality programs and services.
Once again, you testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 29, 2022, that a “key priority for the Bureau” was maintaining “fully staffed institutions.” We need to ensure that we are properly supporting the workforce at the FCC Florence, this includes direct hire authority and 25% retention for all staff to prevent the ongoing attrition we are seeing.
Thank you for your full and fair consideration of this request in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations, laws, and guidelines.
