UNION COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI /WVLT) — Union County officials are scrambling to address a major staffing crisis that forced the transfer of dozens of inmates from the county jail to correctional facilities across the region.
According to Union County Sheriff-Elect Rick Carter, the situation unfolded Wednesday morning when the entire scheduled day shift at the jail failed to report for duty.
“Nobody showed up for today,” Carter said.
Carter said the absent employees included the jail administrator and four correctional officers who were scheduled to work the morning shift. As a result, road deputies were called in to relieve overnight staff members who remained at the facility after their shifts had ended.
Once deputies secured operations at the jail, county officials began coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions to relocate inmates out of Union County.
Union County Mayor Jason Bailey confirmed he received a call from Carter around 11 a.m. informing him of the situation. Bailey said county officials immediately began arranging transfers for approximately 60 to 70 inmates to surrounding county detention facilities.
The sudden relocation effort presents an immediate financial burden for Union County, which must now pay other counties to house, supervise and care for the transferred inmates.
Despite the challenges, Bailey emphasized that ensuring the safety and well-being of inmates remains the county’s top priority as officials work through the crisis.
Bailey also said current Union County Sheriff Billy Breeding has not responded to phone calls regarding the situation.
Officials have not yet said how long inmates will remain in other facilities or what steps will be taken to address the staffing shortage at the Union County jail. The county continues to work with neighboring detention centers to accommodate the relocated inmates while maintaining jail operations.
A formal statement from the sheriff-elect’s office is expected to be released Wednesday evening as officials continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the staffing failure.
The incident has raised urgent questions about jail staffing and operational readiness, with county leaders now facing both logistical and financial challenges as they work to restore normal operations at the facility.
