Sheriff asks for patrol lieutenant as boarding and mental‑health waits strain jail

Sheriff addressed the commission on Dec. 3 to outline patrol staffing needs and jail pressures, asking the board to approve creation of a lieutenant position to help manage patrol operations.

The department removed two full‑time positions from its budget this cycle (one county deputy and one school resource officer), which the sheriff said frees about $44,000. He proposed applying that amount plus restricted opioid-settlement funds to fund a lieutenant slot with total salary-and-benefits cost estimated at $109,637. The sheriff said narcotics-related grant money could cover part of the expense where allowable, but noted opioid funds are restricted and must meet eligibility rules.

Sheriff’s staff also described prisoner‑boarding pressures and mental‑health placement delays. The budgeted boarding line was reduced to $400,000 from an earlier $500,000 projection, but commissioners and staff warned that $400,000 may not be sufficient if out‑of‑county boarding continues. The sheriff said six individuals were waiting for Department of Mental Health beds, including one case cited at 257 days on a wait list; he and other speakers said the county lacks local bed capacity and transfers are uneven between facilities.

Commissioners did not vote on the sheriff’s staffing proposal during the session; the discussion clarified funding sources, potential constraints on opioid‑settlement use, and the operational risk posed by prolonged boarding and mental‑health delays.