Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed an executive order that will keep Florida National Guard members working at prisons until at least December as the state corrections system continues to grapple with staffing shortages.
DeSantis issued the executive order last week, which said an earlier directive extension “is necessary because ongoing staffing shortages, although much improved, continue to threaten the safety of officers, inmates, and the public.”
DeSantis initially signed an executive order in September 2022, activating National Guard members to work at prisons. He issued extensions in June 2023 and December 2023.
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The December extension expired Sunday, leading to DeSantis issuing last week’s executive order, which will last for six months.
It said the “temporary assistance of the Florida National Guard has proven necessary for the care, custody, and control of inmates.”
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