RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Rensselaer County became the first county in the Capital Region Monday morning to swear in correction officers who resigned during the statewide prison strikes. The former Department of Corrections and Community Supervision correction officers are Michael Drinkwine , Benjamin Hall and Joshua Jones. They will not be working as correction officers for Rensselaer County Jail. “Today, and to my knowledge for the first time ever, we are welcoming in lateral transfers from the New York State Department of Corrections," said Kyle Bourgault, Rensselaer County sheriff. "And this is just the beginning." Hall and Drinkwine worked mostly in Coxsackie Correctional Facility while Jones worked mostly in Greene Correctional Facility. All three men resigned from their positions only a few days into the strike, before the state threatened to fire correction officers for striking. Altogether, they have 47 years of experience in corrections. "47 years of knowing how to talk to inmates, 47 years of de-escalating potentially violent and dangerous situations and 47 years of understanding just how important their jobs are and what it means to public safety," said Bourgault. Fired correction officers invited to apply to some Capital Region county jobs This comes after Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order banning fired correction officers from being hired by the state and local counties until April 9. The three that were hired Monday, resigned with no problems. “When she said she was going to deny them, these men and women, the right to work, there's just no way we’re going to let that stand here in Rensselaer County," said Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer county executive. "So, you know, our message to every other county is do the same thing that we’re doing and many of them are.”  Counties such as Saratoga, Greene and Fulton County are all acting in support of correction officers. Some have outright encouraged correction officers to apply to their county jobs as well. Saratoga County has six openings and Fulton County has zero, but they still want correction officers to put their names in. Rensselaer County jail has about 28 openings and Sheriff Bourgault said they have about 40 applicants. He said the plan is to hire as many as they can. Thirteen more correction officers will be sworn in on Monday, April 7. This includes three civilians and 10 correction officers from DOCCS. For more information on where to apply, visit the Rensselaer County website or contact the sheriff's office. ...read more read less