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Sheriff's office details recruit pipeline, contractual retention plan and uncertainty over opioid-settlement spending
Summary
Deputy Van Bilbichon told the commissioners the sheriff's office has two recruits in the academy, is seeking to send a third, and is pushing for a three-year contract with an added one-year non-compete to improve retention; he said allowable uses for opioid-settlement funds remain unclear.
Deputy Van Bilbichon updated the Keith County Board of Commissioners on staffing and training for the sheriff's office at the Sept. 17 meeting, outlining the academy prerequisites, timeline and new retention efforts.
Van Bilbichon told commissioners two recruits were already in the police academy and a third applicant might be added if the academy permits more attendees. He described the academy prerequisites and training regimen in detail: a mandatory 80 hours of online instruction, PPCT (pressure point/control tactics) arrest-control training, medical examinations, a physical fitness test, TABE testing and psychological evaluations.
"If we have them for too long, they can't attend," Van Bilbichon said of the timing constraints tied to academy prerequisites. He added, "Every recruit signs a 3 year contract which is, mandated; if you don't complete your 3 years, you're paying us back." He said the office is working to negotiate a three-year contract that would include an additional one-year non-compete clause so new hires would remain with the county for up to four years.
Van Bilbichon also discussed academy length and past attrition: "It'll be a 16 week course" for the current academy cycle, though he said the length has varied between 16 and 22 weeks. He noted a prior instructor's rigorous testing increased attrition; the class now has a new legal instructor and the department will watch the graduation rate.
On the subject of opioid-settlement funds, Van Bilbichon said allowable spending descriptions vary by settlement tranche. "Until it's settled, I don't know that they're real specific as to where you can go with it," he said. He described one earlier allocation that county leaders directed to public-health uses such as sharps containers and gun locks but said other tranches have been less prescriptive.
Van Bilbichon also said the sheriff's office is planning equipment upgrades and pay-grade adjustments contingent on potential grant outcomes (he referenced a program name during the meeting) and noted the office's top priority is recruiting and retaining deputies.
Why it matters: The county is managing an active recruitment pipeline and seeking contractual tools to reduce turnover. The length and prerequisites of academy training shape how quickly recruits can be deployed. Opioid-settlement funds could support training or equipment, but local officials said some settlement tranches lack clear allowable-use guidance.
Provenance (selected excerpts): - "We got them both up and running again now..." (context for operations; highway report). - "We can only hire them at a certain time frame before the academy." — Deputy Van Bilbichon on recruitment timing. - "Every recruit signs a 3 year contract which is, mandated if you don't complete your 3 years, you're paying us back." — Deputy Van Bilbichon on retention contracts. - "Until it's settled, I don't know that they're real specific as to where you can go with it." — Deputy Van Bilbichon on opioid-settlement funds.
