Sheriff’s Office leaders told the Hamblen County budget committee on May 22 that the county faces personnel shortages, rising operational costs and equipment needs tied to a new justice center, and they urged the commission to consider pay increases and targeted hires to ensure safe operations.

Capt. Michelle (presenting for absent Captain David Cribley) told commissioners court-security officers perform a wide range of duties beyond courtroom safety — inmate transports, out‑of‑county transports, serving warrants, mental‑health transports and other courthouse security functions. Because of the layout and added space in the new justice center, the sheriff’s office asked the committee to approve four full‑time court‑security officers for the next budget year and said eight would be the realistic staffing need to cover all duties. The office estimated the fully loaded cost per new court‑security hire, including benefits and training, at roughly $60,000 per year.

Sheriff and staff described other operational increases the office is requesting or expects: a nonmatching Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) grant of $10,000 already approved for equipment and overtime; increases in maintenance agreements for systems such as Pulsium; procurement of Diverse Computing software and equipment to perform NCIC and records checks; LTE‑capable radios for coverage in low‑signal areas; and subscription services such as LeadsOnline and PoliceOne for investigations and training. Staff also noted a one‑time or recurring need to cover surveillance systems and informant costs for narcotics investigations (a Casper system was referenced).

The jail budget request included only a proposed operational increase for food supplies to reflect higher inmate counts and rising food costs once the new facility opens. Separately, the sheriff reported a large staffing shortfall in corrections: after adjusting a prior CTAS staffing analysis, the sheriff said he needed about 100 correction officers to operate the new facility at a minimum inmate level; the office currently remains roughly 30 positions short of that total. The sheriff said failing state inspections for understaffing would jeopardize certification and the county’s ability to receive per‑diem reimbursements tied to certification levels.

Recruitment and retention challenges were a recurring theme. Presenters showed comparative pay data for surrounding counties: Hamblen County’s starting rate for corrections was reported as $17.50 an hour, below neighboring counties and below many local private‑sector starting wages. The sheriff requested a 10% across‑the‑board pay increase for all sheriff’s‑office employees to retain current staff and make hiring competitive. Commissioners and the mayor acknowledged the issue and said it would be a difficult budget decision.

School resource officers and the DARE program were also discussed. The sheriff’s office currently covers five SROs funded from the sheriff’s budget in addition to 18 SROs funded by state grants; the department successfully reintroduced the DARE program this year and secured $10,000 from opioid abatement funds and an additional $15,000 commitment from the school system to cover program supplies and expansion.

Commissioners asked for follow‑up numbers and said they would consider the requests during upcoming budget deliberations; the county’s budget committee planned additional hearings in June.