RISON - The decision by the Cleveland County Quorum Court earlier this month to increase pay for deputies seems to have helped the sheriff's department recruit new deputies.
Chief Deputy Gary Young of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday they have hired one certified officer since the pay raise, and there is potential to make another hire soon.
During the quorum court's regular monthly meeting on March 6, the court unanimously approved a motion to increase deputy pay by about 15 percent. The move came after Sheriff Jack Rodgers addressed the quorum court during a February meeting about the need to increase pay to make the job more attractive to candidates.
After surveying pay at other sheriff departments in the region, Rodgers reported that the average starting pay for a deputy in the region was $17.67 per hour. Cleveland County's starting pay was $15.15 per hour.
After some discussion, the quorum court unanimously approved a motion by Justice Charles Rodgers to increase the starting pay for a new deputy to $17.50 per hour; for the lieu-tenant's position to $18 per hour; and for the chief deputy's position to $18.50 per hour.
Under the new pay schedule, the starting pay for a new level 3 deputy will jump from $31,520 to $36,400, the sheriff reported.
Overall, the sheriff's department has 10 deputies on staff, which includes the sheriff. Young said at the height of the vacancies, they were down four officers.
Rodgers told the court in February that was difficult to find certified officers to fill the vacancies. He said the department was even having difficulty finding uncertified people who would be willing to start a law enforcement career at that pay.
Young said the sheriff’s department prefers to hire certified officers since it takes both time and money to get certification for a new deputy.
He said it is not uncommon for them to have to wait two to th...
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