Door County Jail declares staffing emergency as staff shortages drive overtime and low morale

Reading Time: 8 minutes The Door County Jail is operating under emergency staffing rules, effective Oct. 8, with 16 employees currently working in the jail when 22 are needed to cover shifts safely and effectively, Sheriff Tammy Sternard said. Emergency staffing procedures will continue until enough staff are hired and trained to run the jail effectively, she said. The jail staffing shortage has been an ongoing issue before reaching the most recent point, and it contributed to heavy overtime costs and declining morale among jail staff, according to the Door County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. The association cited those problems, among other concerns unrelated to the jail, in its June vote of no confidence in Sternard. A vote of no confidence is a significant step for a union association, according to experts in labor relations. Such votes are often a last resort when efforts to address workplace concerns have failed, said Jim Palmer, president of the Wisconsin Professio