Big changes are coming to the Warren County Jail. 

The facility started taking inmates this week after cells were empty for months. 

But Sheriff Martin Edwards says he still has problems. 

Edwards says dozens of staff members left over the last few years. 

He says low pay is are a big factor. 

County board members are still trying to fix that problem but in the meantime, Edwards is making some changes. 
    
Patrick Ogorzalek has been a correctional officer there since September. 

“I eventually want to be a deputy here and I wanted to get my foot in the door,” he says.  

But he’s never seen his cells full before. 

That’s because about a month before Ogorzalek got to the Warren County Jail, the sheriff had to empty it. 

“We were left with two people on the payroll, which is what started the whole shipment of inmates out of here,” Sheriff Edwards says.  

Edwards says one of the biggest causes of high turnover has been wages; his officers start around $12 an hour.

He says that’s compared to $15 and $20 nearby.

“Retention will continually be a problem here. We’re always losing people to better paying positions at other facilities,” he says.  

In fact, Edwards lost two officers just before reopening. 

For Ogorzalek, the experience makes up for the wages.

“At this jail, we’re the ones who have to enter in the leads and all that good stuff,” Ogorzalek says. 

But the lack of staff still hits him as they start bringing inmates back. 

“It’s definitely tough getting everything done with the two highest in seniority leaving.” 

The sheriff has been working on a lot of changes over the last five months.

One of them is that many cells that could hold four bunks now they only hold two, essentially halving capacity.

“We’ve been doing a lot of housekeeping in the meantime. Also, we had to change medical providers, we’ve also changed our food vendor,” he says.  

A transition that the sheriff is taking slowly to keep the cells busy.

“We thought it was best to only bring back a few of the inmates It gives us an opportunity to let the new people get acclimated to the job.” 

The facility now has five inmates. Fourteen are still at Mercer County Jail. 

A study is also being done to determine whether or not to move facilities entirely.

The current building is more than 100 years old. 

For the seven staff members on the ground, including Ogorzalek, there’s one mantra:

“Just keep on pushing, mostly.”

You can find more information on how to apply for a position on the Warren County Sheriff’s Facebook page.