Sheriff asks Van Zandt commissioners for pay raises, more deputies and dispatchers as jail and transport costs rise

The Van Zandt County sheriff asked the commissioners to increase sworn pay and to add deputies, dispatchers and a transport officer, citing recruitment challenges and a sizable workload in inmate transports and out-of-county housing.

The sheriff said a market survey across nearby cities and counties showed deputies' pay running roughly 9% above Van Zandt's current rate on average; the sheriff proposed adding about 12% to sworn pay (9% to reach market average plus a 3% cost-of-living adjustment). "So that's where that addition is right there," he said, summarizing a combined market and COLA adjustment.

Operational requests included four deputies (a criminal investigator, a sergeant, a transport deputy and a patrol deputy), moving one part-time jail records position to full-time to manage warrant inputs, and four new dispatchers with an 8% pay increase for dispatch. The sheriff described heavy transport demands for inmates requiring medical trips and court dockets and said contract housing in Henderson County would increase under a new agreement — "almost double," he warned — which pressures the jail budget.

The sheriff also asked for vehicle replacements and upfits (four cars scheduled for retirement, with lead times of four to six months for fully equipped vehicles), noted that older in-car camera systems are being phased out (requiring N500 upgrades), and said the office used forfeiture funds to acquire a K9 and now needs a recurring K9 expense line (roughly $4,800) for training, testing and veterinary care.

On jail operations, leadership requested increasing the inmate-food line by about $35,000 to keep pace with rising costs and said a recently hired jail maintenance person has cut outside-contract calls and appears to be saving money. The court asked for detailed line-item backup before approving any changes.