MONROE — The Green Count Sheriff’s office has made progress in recruiting deputies, including females, a development that should allow the local jail to handle its own female prisoners again for the first time in months.

They have been housing females through a contract with Iowa County that requires Green County to transport defendants back and forth to Dodgeville for court dates.

“During the year, the Sheriff’s Office had a significant turnover in personnel, requiring hiring and training new deputies on patrol, jail and dispatchers,” said Jeff Skatrud, Green County Sheriff in a statement issued during his annual awards ceremony with the county board.

The first four female inmates were first moved to the Iowa County Jail on July 26. They are mostly inmates awaiting trial or those who can’t post bond. The jail simply didn’t have enough staff, particularly female corrections officers. Beyond basic staffing ratios, some responsibilities of holding either female — or male — inmates are gender specific, according to officials.

Deputies also logged overtime to help make up for the staffing shortfall. 

The cost of holding an inmate in another jail is between $50 and $60 per day as well as Green County being responsible for medical costs and the transportation of the inmate to that jail and back if required for a court appearance.

But now the department currently has three new female deputies in training and with some additional recruiting gains in other areas, the jail should be able to house a female population again as early as late March, officials said.

In addition to attending academies for new jail deputies and patrol deputies, field training for officers consists of at least 16 weeks before the new deputy or dispatcher is released to work on their own, according to Skatrud.

Retirements from the department, he said, are a two-way street: While he doesn’t like losing the vast experience and knowledge his senior and existing employees bring to the job, Skatrud is excited about all of the new recruits and getting the female jail population back.

“We’ve been persistent and patient,” in its recruitment efforts, the Sheriff said. “We knew it would take longer than we wanted.”

Those interested in joining the department, can start the application process online at the county’s website, greencountywi.org.