Tyrrell Prison Work Farm among three prisons temporarily closing

An Eastern Carolina prison is one of three state lockups that will temporarily close and move correctional officers and other staff to neighboring prisons to address what it calls staffing challenges.

The state Department of Public Safety says it's making the move to better utilize available staff and make state prisons and communities safer.

The Tyrrell Prison Work Farm will soon close. Inmates will be moved to other minimum security prisons, while staff will be deployed to other prisons with high officer vacancy rates.

The other two prisons are Hoke Correctional Institution and Odom Correctional Institution.

Tyrrell County Manager David Clegg says losing several hundred jobs for the small county will be devastating. He said the prison is a big water user for the county and they floated bonds to pay for water lines to the facility with the understanding that the state would be paying for that water usage.

Clegg said the state hasn't even contacted them about the closing.

A public safety spokesman says they will evaluate the closings after six months and decide whether or not to reopen the three prisons.