Pasco County is now officially in the jail business.

NEW PORT RICH — Big changes took place in Pasco County earlier this month as, without fanfare, the county government became the new jail manager.

Sheriff Chris Nocco handed over the reins last year after several pleas to county officials about funding issues and delays in construction of the new jail., It is necessary to avoid overcrowding. Noko He wanted a seat at the table on land development decisions, they argued The development will put more pressure on the law enforcement.

Mike Karbala, who officially became county administrator Oct. 1, told commissioners this week that the county has had a successful transition with the jail, but it’s early days and the paperwork is an ongoing process.

There was no ceremony to mark the change.

“The focus of this entire transition is to make it as seamless as possible, especially for staff. We’ve been working closely with the jail team for months, so on the first day of the transition, October 1, 2022, our team is ready and excited to begin this next chapter,” Karbala told the Tampa Bay Times in an email.

Although there is not much public display, the transfer is a big deal.

The administrative change will mean reassigning personnel, moving various accounting and financial functions from the sheriff to the county and circuit court clerk and supervisor. The county hired Stacey Jenkins as the jail’s chief corrections officer. She had worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 1991 and was the commander of the Noco Court Services Bureau.

The county owns dozens of jail-related guns, vehicles, computers, telephones, radios and other equipment, the official records show. It also shows the county administers about 50 contracts, ranging from court records systems and treatment programs to housing agreements for inmates who flood Hernando and Seminole counties.

One of the main functions is personnel transfer and filling of vacancies.

“As part of the jail transition, Pasco County welcomed nearly 300 team members, and more will be added with future jail expansions,” said Pasco County Human Resources Director Barbara Hitzeman.

While the county promised to keep benefits and pensions for workers who are moving, some have chosen to change jobs or leave.

“When the jail transition was announced, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office had 289 certified corrections officers. As of February 2022, 57 certified officers have left the jail for various reasons through retirements, resignations and transfers within the Sheriff’s Office,” Jenkins said. “Pasco County is always recruiting.”

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Finding good and qualified people is a challenge as all public safety organizations hire for similar positions. During the transition of the prison, we found many dedicated men and women in the detention center. “Our hope is to attract more people to join our Pasco County team with the same commitment,” county administrators said in a statement.

The county had to hire seven employees to manage jail-related operations and fill other jobs, Hittman said.

Chip Osowski, communications officer for King Alvarez-Souls, circuit court clerk and supervisor, said the clerk of court had to add at least five new employees to her staff in anticipation.

As the clerk’s office handles the financial affairs of county administration, the transfer is tasked with reviewing all jail-related contracts, additional payroll responsibilities, additional capital asset management, and various accounting, banking, auditing and purchasing responsibilities. The office also contracted with an external accountant.

While the county expects to keep the roughly $50 million it originally gave the sheriff annually to pay for the new positions and staff, county officials say they are unsure of the final financial impact because the transition is still so new.

One difference now, Karbala said, is that “we have the opportunity and the fiduciary responsibility to manage it and improve it and look for opportunities for efficiency.” He also said that change may come as the region has ongoing challenges.

“As the demand for services grows, the growth of our community will continue to be challenging. As we are in the process of creating a new branch of public safety, retaining an experienced corrections officer and command staff will mitigate any operational hurdles associated with the change,” Karbala said.

“We expect some adjustments in organizational culture, processes … but these are small in the overall big picture.”