Mayor Gorton looks into concerns at the Fayette Co. Detention Center

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Corrections officers in Fayette County are accusing the jail of overworking them.

A branch of the Fraternal Order of Police say the jail is overcrowded and something needs to change.

Michael Harris works at the detention center and is a part of the Fraternal Order of Police. He says many officers are working 16 hour days and sometimes officers are doing that three or four times a week.

Harris adds some people are quitting causing the detention center to be about 50 officers short.

“People are tired. People don’t want this anymore,” said Michael Harris.

Lexington’s mayor saw the allegations and is taking it seriously. Mayor Gorton made a post on social media saying she is on a “fact finding mission” to see if there are any problems at the detention center.

In one of the mayor’s tweets she says she’ll be making unannounced visits to the jail to talk to corrections officers and will meet with the jailer weekly.

She adds she’ll be calling other mayors and judge executives in the state who are dealing with the same problem.

Harris says he’s relieved Mayor Gorton is getting involved and hopes changes are made soon.

Mayor Gorton’s tweet says she will gather all of the information and then create an action plan.

Harris says he will go to court if something doesn’t change soon.