SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the state’s Natural Resources Police continue to help out the thin ranks of the state’s corrections system on a daily basis. Since February, NRPO’s have been volunteering for extra duty assignments in the state’s jails and prisons on their days off.
“At any given time we have at least 18 officers working on their days off,” said Colonel Bobby Cales, Superintendent of the Natural Resources Police.
The extra duty is paid from the Corrections Department budget and by law cannot involve hunting and fishing license dollars which is where most of the NRPO’s regular paycheck is produced. The extra duty has enabled a lot of the officers to reap a considerable windfall.
“The dollar amount would vary. They’re working 12 to 24 hours on their days off and at a time and a half rate,” said Cales.
Cales said the arrangement is in place for the foreseeable future. Although he wouldn’t consider the detail “open ended” he did say there was no culmination date in place. The Department of Corrections continues to work to fill its ranks and until then, DNR will help with the work load.
Although certainly part of the guard process, none of the NRPO’s has any direct contact with inmates.
“Mainly our officers are in support of of the control room and scan lines and things of that nature in the support system only. They have no contact with the inmates, said Cales.
Cales added during the six months his officers have been engaged in the voluntary details there have have been no incidents involving inmates and NRPO’s.