Lee County sheriff seeks two deputies to cut overtime, meet training mandates

Derek Rankin, chief deputy of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, told the county finance committee on Aug. 12 that the department is proposing two additional patrol deputies to reach four officers per shift and reduce mounting overtime and training costs. Rankin said the patrol force currently includes 23 deputies, plus 16 corrections deputies and 10 telecommunicators across the office’s divisions. He described a staffing model with 15 patrol deputies on 12-hour shifts and 8-hour deputies handling office duties. “We have 23 deputies,” Rankin said, describing the current mix of 12-hour and 8-hour positions. The proposal aims to move the department from minimum staffing—two deputies on day shifts and three on night shifts—to four deputies each shift. Rankin said the change would allow the department to run required in-person…