Contract negotiations are underway at the Sangamon County Sheriff's Department, which has seen deep cuts in the past few years.
Aaron Conard, chairman of the corrections division's Fraternal Order of Police, says staff decreases have coincided with an increase in not only the number of people processed at the county jail, but also the types of people being processed -- including younger, more violent criminals and those with mental disabilities. He says state-run mental health facilities are closing, and some end up at the county jail.
The current contract expires December 1st. Conard says employees are asking for assurances they'll receive pay commensurate to what employees in other counties receive, and easier access to days off among other items -- which Conard says won't break the county's bank.
(posted 6:56 p.m. 11/14/2012 by Alex Degman)