This week, May 5-11, 2024, we celebrate National Correctional Officers Week. Former President Ronald Reagan established this week on May 5, 1984, he saw the need to create a week for correctional officers to thank them for their services and celebrate their contributions to society. During this week, various U.S. agencies honor correctional officers in our jails, prisons, and community correctional facilities.

The men and women of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office Jail Division are true professionals, we cannot thank them enough for the work they do. They risk their lives to protect the citizens of Marshall County and ensure a safe and secure environment for the inmates. Our jail staff often serve as role models to those inmates to help them become better members in our communities. Corrections is a 24/7, 365-day operation which means there are no weekends or holidays for many. The Marshall County Jail is a 182-bed facility and receives over two thousand intakes a year. Since January of 2024, the average daily population has been 124 inmates. The Marshall County Jail houses local, state, and federal inmates.

This week is also National Nurses Week May 6-12, 2024. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office employs two full-time Registered Nurses to take care of the inmate population. Correctional Nursing is a unique type of nursing.

They work hard daily to ensure the medical needs of the inmate population are met. They work with a population that is not always the most cooperative with the increasing number of inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues continuing to make a difficult career even harder. The professionalism and service our medical team provides is top notch. We appreciate everything they do.

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Patrick White is the Chief

Jailer for Marshall County.