Overtime for ACOs normally occurs when an ACO who is not scheduled to work is called in to replace a vacant security post. In most cases, the facility watch commander determines whether an ACO should be called in to work overtime. This decision is based on staffing of the facilities’ posts. Each facility has both essential and program posts. Essential posts are the minimum posts required to secure, house, clothe, and feed the inmates, and provide safety for the employees, inmates, and public. All essential posts must be staffed. If an essential post must be filled, the watch commander first determines whether any program posts can be closed and whether the ACO staffed at that post can be transferred to the essential post. Program posts are considered non-essential and exist to run programs, such as recreation, education, volunteer programs, and activities. We were informed that there is no set criteria for determining which program posts can be closed. If a program post is or becomes vacant, an ACO would not be called in on overtime to fill the vacancy. The facility chief of security reviews the decisions to close program posts and incur overtime, after completion of the shift. The lack of standard criteria for evaluating open posts and the untimely review of decisions to incur overtime continues to leave the department susceptible to overtime abuse.