Pulaski County sheriff cites deputy turnover, links departures to family health coverage and pay

Sheriff Bobby Jones told the Pulaski County court that the sheriff’s office faces a high rate of turnover and that several deputies have applied to other agencies, placing strain on staffing and response capacity.

Jones said the office now operates with fewer than 20 deputies patrolling county roads, and that five deputies have put in applications with other agencies; he said at least three of those are expected to receive offers. “When we lose good people, we lose knowledge, experience, and momentum,” Jones said. He described the workload on remaining deputies as heavy and said it can take nearly a year to replace a deputy because of training and field‑training requirements.

The county’s health insurance was a recurring theme in the discussion. Jones said discussions with deputies indicate family insurance costs are a primary factor in their decisions to leave. He…