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 described examples he said deputies provided — including one employee who reported a family plan costing about $1,800 a month — and said younger deputies who later start families are especially affected. “Across the entire sheriff’s office, we need affordable family insurance and competitive wages,” Jones said.

Kelly, an insurance representative attending the meeting to present the county’s renewal, told the court the marketplace options are individualized by household size and income and that CareSource is exiting the market at the end of this year. “So for Pulaski County for 2026, we will have Anthem,” Kelly said, adding that some employees already use marketplace individual policies that are payroll-deducted. She said she would bring the renewal rates to the court when they arrive and meet with commissioners to discuss options.

Judge (unnamed) and other court members pushed back and also sought to clarify budget actions. The judge said the county has increased the sheriff’s budget in recent years and noted the court has appropriated additional money for deputy salaries and holiday pay. “Since you’ve been sheriff and since I’ve been judge, we have increased your budget almost $400,000,” the judge said, and added that roughly $161,000 in deputy salary appropriations were included for holiday pay.

Court members and the sheriff discussed other constraints beyond pay and insurance, including morale, administrative practices, and the county’s limited general fund. Jones said the office frequently covers calls across the county and assists neighboring jurisdictions when needed; he also described difficulty getting state troopers to provide coverage on some calls. He said one new hire started an academy class in December and is scheduled to graduate in June, followed by 16 weeks of field training.

No formal action was taken on insurance at the meeting; the court’s insurance representative said she will deliver renewal rates when available and offered to present options aimed at lowering dependent costs once those rates are received.

Why this matters: Jones warned that sustained departures could reduce patrol coverage and lengthen response times for burglaries, domestic disturbances and other 911 calls. The sheriff asked the public to be aware of limitations tied to staffing and benefits as the county considers options.

Ending: Court members did not adopt a new benefit plan at the meeting; the insurer said rates are pending and will be presented to the court when available. Jones and court officials said they will continue to discuss possible changes to benefits and wages as budget conditions allow.