LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Metro Department of Corrections welcomed six new officers in a ceremony at Metro Hall Friday. 

They come from Kentucky, Mississippi and Florida. Four have prior experience in corrections. 

Leaders said they’re joining at a time when the jail is facing challenges. “We’re the largest mental health facility in the region,” said LMDC Director Jerry Collins. “We’re the largest detox facility in the region. We have folks with acute medical conditions. Those are huge challenges for us as correctional facility. But Class 134, you’re going to meet them.”

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer addressed the class before administering the oath of office. “Everybody is somebody’s son, daughter, mom or dad and you might be encountering them on a tough day, and just try to remember their humanity as well,” he said. 

According to the department, 10 people who were in LMDC custody have died since November. Last week, the jail said a person in custody was able to save another’s life using the overdose-reversing drug Narcan. Leaders said Narcan had recently been placed in all of the dorms and has been used another time since then.   

Officer Zaire Woods of Louisville, who wants to become a detective someday, said she was eager to get started. “New challenges, new opportunities... This is something I’ve never been in before, so I just can’t wait for everything,” she told Spectrum News 1. 

Collins, who took over as jail director this spring, said LMDC remains about 84 officers short. “In October, we’ll have a regular recruit class from 15 to 20, then we’ll have 20 to 25 laterals, then we’ll have 10 retirees, so that’s going to make a huge difference, starting out the year on our staffing levels,” he said. 

Collins said LMDC is offering an $8,000 signing bonus, $3,000 relocation bonus and incentives for referrals.