Sheriff and county discuss staffing, inmate costs and BCCMC arrears during budget workshop

Sheriff Cruz and county staff presented the sheriff's office and jail budget during Baker County's February 2025 budget workshop, asking the Board of County Commissioners to fund higher starting salaries, add investigative capacity and share the cost of a new accounting position with the Baker County Corrections & Management Corporation (BCCMC).

The sheriff said the office has seen recent increases in violent crime and two homicides since January, and that staffing shortages and mandatory overtime are driving retention problems. To address pay competition and turnover, the sheriff's budget asks to raise the department's minimum starting salary for deputies and for corrections officers to $50,000.

County budget presenter Randy and Sheriff Cruz outlined estimated costs tied to the proposal. Randy said the requested housing cost for inmates at the county-run BCCMC facility for the…