MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Commissioners voted to level the playing field for those working behind bars in hopes of recruiting more correctional staff.

On Monday, they passed an ordinance that would mean equal pay for those working for the Shelby County Corrections Center on Mullins Station Road as well as those working inside the jail at 201 Poplar.

Corrections officers working under Sheriff Floyd Bonner at 201 Poplar got a five percent pay increase but those at Mullins Station did not.

This means whenever one group of corrections employees gets a raise the other one does too, making it easier to recruit for these types of jobs.

“We’re just asking for the same pay (for) doing the same job,” said AFSCME Representative Hope Shaw-Patillo.

Correctional staff spoke out, saying it’s not fair when Shelby County Deputy jailers who work under the county sheriff get a raise and it doesn’t apply to the rest of the correctional staff.

“A lot of people don’t know that the correction officers are under the Shelby County Mayor and the jailers are under the Sheriff,” said Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr.

The Sheriff’s Office said it needs to hire more jailers after four deaths inside the 201 Poplar facility in the span of a week.

Sheriff Bonner wants to fill some 300 positions to fully staff and secure the facility but the problems he talked about aren’t just confined to his facility.

Correctional officers who work at the Mullins Station facility known as the “Penal Farm”, see some of the same issues.

“It’s a dangerous job,” Shaw-Patillo said. “I know you heard about all the deaths, fentanyl and things like that in the jail, both jails. We have the same problems.”

Commissioner Erika Sugarmon said last week’s deaths could’ve been prevented through a measure to staff a citizen law enforcement review committee last fiscal year to look over jail investigations.

County Commissioners approved the committee but did not provide funding to staff it.

“But because certain commissioners did not support the staffing, it continues,” Sugarmon said.

Sugarmon said she believes pay parity between corrections officers and deputy jailers will help but won’t fix the problem.

“It used to be just normal knuckleheads doing things but now the climate has definitely changed, it’s more dangerous than it used to be,” Shaw-Patillo said. “We’re in desperate need right now with more money. Like I said, it would make us more competitive because right now Costco is paying $30 an hour.”

Commissioner Sugarmon said right now, she is still trying to get this oversight committee back on the books.