FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — Teresa Lawson resigned her position as director of Fairfield County Detention Center abruptly on Thursday, July 14, 2022, after nearly four decades on the job.
In her letter to County Administrator Malik Whitaker, Lawson says "this has been the most ineffective, unprofessional, uncaring and unreachable Administration I have ever worked for. Failure to address staffing concerns and other critical issues has made this position impossible to succeed in."
Specifically, Lawson cites the county's creation of a Deputy Director position for the detention center rather than fulfilling her request to hire two officer positions at the understaffed facility as one of the reasons behind her resignation.
"I went before council to explain that I desperately needed more officers for the safety of the jail, to protect the inmates as well as the officers," Lawson explained. "Then, when I was watching a county council meeting and instead of hiring the officers I needed, they voted to hire a deputy director instead."
In response to Lawson's resignation, the county responded by thanking Lawson for her service to the county and explained their decision to hire a deputy director rather than corrections officers.
The county wrote, "The staffing challenges faced at the Detention Center are similar to the challenges faced by other correctional facilities throughout the State. The decision to hire a deputy director, who can also serve in some capacity as a corrections officer, was made to assist with the current staffing concerns. A deputy director will also provide additional leadership and assist with developing a long-range recruitment and retention plan for employees. The Administration continues to work with staff at the Detention Center to address challenges concerning mental health patients, identifying ways to reduce costs related to prescription drugs, and developing strategies to address staffing issues. We appreciate all of our Detention Center employees for the work they do. We will continue to support them during this transition."
According to Councilman Douglas Pauley the county is still searching for this deputy director. The county currently has one opening for a corrections officer on their website but no sign of a deputy director application.