Franklin County Correctional Officers raise the alarm on staffing emergency

Corrections Officers from Franklin County Jail in Chambersburg, PA, spoke out at the October 15 county commissioners meeting on what has become a staffing emergency at their facility. 

More than 50% of positions at the jail are vacant while officers are working extreme amounts of mandatory overtime, risking their safety and ability to show up for their community.

Corrections Officers from Franklin County Jail are joined by their fellow AFSCME members in Chambersburg, PA, to urge county commissioners to immediately address the staffing emergency at the jail.

“We’re not asking for perfection, we’re asking for protection," said FCJ Officer Brock Hohman. 

“Adequate staffing is not a budget line item to be delayed or debated. It’s a front-line defense for safety, order, and liability prevention. This is about protecting your employees, the community, and the integrity of our justice system. I urge you to prioritize staffing solutions before the next injury – or worse – forces the issue.”

The members of AFSCME Local 589 at Franklin County Jail proudly protect their community and are essential to public safety. Mandatory overtime is destroying work-life balance, fueling burnout, forcing people to leave, and is the number one reason officers are quitting. 

“When we’re understaffed, every officer on duty is forced to stretch beyond safe and sustainable limits. We’re covering more ground with fewer people. We’re handling volatile situations with less backup and struggling to maintain control in high risk environments. That kind of strain doesn’t just make the job harder, it makes it dangerous – and the inmates notice," said FCJ Officer Stephen Knouse. 

"We are asking the county to do what’s right for the safety of its employees, the inmates, and the entire community. Commissioners, we need immediate action."

The corrections officers at the meeting made the following three proposals to enhance recruitment and retention at the jail:

• Ensure every new corrections officer in Franklin County receives the academy training no more than two months after their start date
• Provide significant retention bonuses for staff hired since the start of 2025
• Increase hourly wages by $2.00 each year at the start of 2026 and 2027

Local 589 members were strongly backed by their families and their fellow AFSCME local unions in the area. Members of Locals 246 (Borough of Chambersburg), 2935 (Chambersburg Area School District & Franklin County Housing Authority), and 2536 (PLCB) showed up in their AFSCME green to show their support. 

If Franklin County leaders don’t act now, the rate of injuries, escapes, and deaths will only increase. One inmate already escaped this year because there weren’t enough staff to transport her. We can't risk another because the county won’t pay competitive wages.

Corrections officers deserve to feel safe and respected for the work they do. They keep the jail and the public safe, and they deserve better.

The officers at FCJ stand ready to offer experience-based solutions and work with county leadership to enact staffing and training plans that rapidly address the ongoing crisis. 

See photos below!