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Sheriff seeks staffing increases as jail expands and calls remain high
Summary
Sheriff presented department-level FY26 request covering law enforcement, corrections and communications. He described rising operating pressures, a jail expansion to 499 beds, persistent staffing shortages and recruitment competition from nearby agencies.
Okeechobee County’s sheriff told commissioners his FY26 budget request reflects continuing recruitment challenges, rising personnel costs and a nearly completed second dorm that will expand jail capacity to about 499 beds.
‘‘We maintain 238 full‑time employees and the vast majority of the budget — about 85%— is personnel,’’ the sheriff said, describing FY24 and FY25 workload data and staffing changes. He said law‑enforcement patrol and corrections both face high turnover: roughly 55% of some front‑line rosters have under two years’ service and several deputies leave monthly for higher pay in neighboring jurisdictions.
The sheriff described the jail population trend as lower year to date than earlier in the year — average daily population fell from about 273 to 236 — but noted the county will move from roughly 232 beds to 499 as the new dorm opens. He said the larger facility creates operating needs and gives the county options for potential revenue or bed‑use agreements that would mitigate costs, but those ideas are only under discussion.
Communications and 911 dispatch were described as a 24/7 operation with four shifts and four staff on each shift; dispatchers handle emergency dispatching and overflow phone traffic. The sheriff highlighted daily call volumes: roughly 86 law‑enforcement calls a day in 2024 and many additional fire/EMS calls.
The sheriff’s proposal includes layered pay adjustments: a 3% administrative increase, 4% for certified staff, and 5% for high‑risk front‑line officers. He requested resources to retain personnel and offset competition for recruits from neighboring cities and counties. The presentation included grant offsets and some one‑time capital reductions compared with the prior year.
Commissioners and the sheriff discussed the school‑resource‑officer (SRO) program: several SROs previously assigned to city schools have been absorbed into the county program while the city handles other coverages; the sheriff said cost shares with the school district will be revisited to reach a sustainable split.
The sheriff invited commissioners to review line items in detail and to discuss options for facility staffing and security plans for county buildings.
