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Sheriff proposes moving K9 officers' monthly time-off to pay; county staff to draft policy for review
Summary
Adams County's sheriff outlined a proposal to convert K9 deputies' current paid time off for canine care into equivalent biweekly pay, estimating about $11,000 annually for three K9 officers and planning to present a formal policy and ordinance change next month.
Adams County's sheriff presented a proposal to convert the existing paid time off given to K9 deputies—currently eight hours per month—to an equivalent hourly pay so deputies receive additional pay rather than time off. The sheriff said the change is intended to reduce overtime and scheduling complications that arise when deputies use the PTO and the department must bring in overtime coverage.
Under the plan described to commissioners, each K9 deputy is credited roughly half an hour per shift for canine care, which annualizes to about 92 hours per deputy. The sheriff estimated the total annual cost for the three K9 deputies would be about $11,000; the payment would be added to the salary ordinance and paid biweekly. The sheriff said this year's cost would be prorated because the officers have already used some K9 days in the first quarter.
The sheriff said the county has discussed the concept with other agencies that use cash payments for canine care and that the approach simplifies scheduling and reduces overtime exposure. No formal action was requested at the meeting; the sheriff said a written policy will be submitted to county attorneys for review and that the matter will return to the commissioners next month for formal approval. If approved, the sheriff indicated implementation is planned for the second quarter of the year.
Commissioners expressed general support in the recorded discussion and one attendee with prior law-enforcement experience said the change could ease scheduling burdens for agencies that operate multiple K9 teams.
Notes: The transcript uses first names and partial references; the article reports the proposal as described in the meeting. The $11,000 figure and the 92-hour-per-deputy calculation are estimates provided by the sheriff during the discussion.
