Sheriff Johnson Says Shuttered Jail Floor Will Open By Thanksgiving

Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson has set Thanksgiving as the date by which he hopes to reopen the shuttered floor of the jail. The floor has been closed since last July due to an inability to retain correctional deputies. Sworn deputies and non-sworn personnel alike will be used to fill the staffing shortage until the vacant positions can be filled. When the third floor was closed in July of last year, there were shortages in other divisions, including patrol, that made it impossible to move deputies into the jail. Those divisions are now at much higher staffing levels, making the shift possible. The Sheriff had previously suggested that officers from other law enforcement agencies, such as Anderson and Redding Police, serve temporary shifts at the jail but that was soundly rejected.