County Approves Incentives for Sheriff Deputies

To stem the tide of deputies leaving for better paying jurisdictions, Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight has fought to bring more incentives for his employees to stay where they were trained.

Months after asking Dorchester County Council to help stop the drain on personnel that the county pays to train, Knight won a victory last Monday during the regular meeting of Dorchester County Council.

Council voted to approve his request to upgrade certain Sheriff's Office positions and approved his request to provide special incentives — which include a bonus of up to $1,500 for personnel in his department. 

The crux of the issue is that the county invests money into training a law enforcement officer, and then the officer leaves for better incentives and a higher salary at a neighboring jurisdiction. The personnel drain has impacted budgets, Knight said.

Council Chairman Bill Hearn agreed.

"It's a false economy because we spend a fortune training a new person every time an existing person is taken away (due to lack of mobility and incentives)," Hearn said.

The new incentives and positions will be funded through the sheriff's budget savings, which roll over every year. The county has also agreed to fund 99 percent of Knight's personnel budget. In previous years, county has funded 98 percent of his budget, letting grants pick up the rest of the tab.

"We're allowing him some flexibility within his current budget," County Administrator Jason Ward said. "The sheriff does manage his overtime and his regular wages well and, as a result of that, he does have savings ... that allows him to remain competitive within our region." 

In 2012-2013 budget, the Sheriff's Office spent nearly $9.5 million for personnel.