Since I took office as your sheriff six months ago we have made much progress and continue to assess the needs of the BCSO.

The months have passed quickly.  We streamlined upper level management, which allowed us to direct more of our resources to the patrol division.  In a redistribution of salaries, we reduced the pay gap between our deputies and the other law enforcement agencies in the region from approximately $7,000 per officer to approximately $5,000 per officer. At the same time, we were able to give appx. 70% of our employees a much deserved pay increase without requesting any additional funds for this purpose from the county commission.

In addition to redistributing funds in our budget, we renegotiated our food service contract for the jail and expect to reduce costs as much as $40,000 in the upcoming year while improving the quality of meals we are serving.  We have partnered with SkyRidge Medical Center and will benefit from a 50% discount on all medical services they provide to our inmates.  And recently we inaugurated a work program that uses non-violent inmates working on county roads and public property as a way to reduce the overall cost of government.  As we prepare a budget for the new fiscal year I want to work with the county commission and the county mayor to acquire the necessary funding to meet important objectives for the next fiscal year.

Because our deputies take the same risks and face the same dangers, require the same training and POST certification, it is important that they be compensated in a similar fashion as other agencies in the region. 

Leaving the gap in pay would be detrimental to efforts to retain qualified personnel.  In the long term, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office would suffer through lost experience and increased costs because we would constantly have to re-equip and train new employees. When I became sheriff the department’s four-year average turnover rate was almost 50 percent.  We have worked to reduce the turnover among our employees. It is in the county’s best interest to retain qualified deputies and benefit from their years of experience and training.

A few of the priorities we have set for the new budget year are:  

• Closing the pay gap with area law enforcement agencies.
• Reducing the cost of family insurance coverage. Family insurance policies are an out-of-pocket expense of about $700 each month, forcing some families to drop this coverage.
• Replacing vehicles with over 200,000 miles on the odometer.  This will help to reduce costs for vehicle maintenance.

Again, I want to work with the county commission and the Mayor to secure funding for these items and others, which will help us fulfill our mission :   “It shall be the mission of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office to provide honest, fair, professional law enforcement services to the citizens of Bradley County while managing resources effectively to prevent and reduce crime.”