Sheriff’s office gets market-rate boosts and staffing changes; HR liaison approval raises countywide questions

Elkhart County’s personnel committee voted to advance a package of pay and staffing changes requested by the sheriff’s office aimed at improving recruitment and retention.

The sheriff’s administrative services captain, Mike Kolb, presented a market‑rate study comparing local agencies and said corrections and patrol salaries lag regional competitors. The committee approved market adjustments for patrol and corrections that target retention (for example, focused increases at 3‑ and 5‑year steps), and directed staff to include the adjustments in the 2026 salary ordinance.

Kolb told the committee that hiring and training are costly: replacing an entry‑level officer or dispatcher requires months of training and thousands of dollars in onboarding costs. Committee members repeatedly referenced those replacement costs in supporting the request.

Support staff hours and canine pay The committee also approved…