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Sheriff: hiring is improving, new jail on track for 2026, but pension noncompliance requires remediation
Summary
Sheriff Noah Robinson told the council the county has improved confinement‑officer hiring after pay increases and is on schedule for a 2026 jail opening. He also reported a pension noncompliance finding requiring multi‑year remediation and described a multi‑year taser replacement contract costing roughly $100,000 per year.
Sheriff Noah Robinson briefed the Vanderburgh County Council on the sheriff’s budget and several operational priorities during the Aug. 15 budget hearing.
Robinson said recruitment for confinement officers has improved markedly after prior pay increases and that the department is actively advertising (including billboards) and pursuing targeted outreach to broaden its candidate pool. He acknowledged continuing recruitment challenges for sworn deputies but said pay increases helped with recent hiring.
On capital projects, Robinson reported the county is on track with preconstruction work for a new jail: bid packages are expected in September with foundation work anticipated to begin in October, and the construction manager (Barton Mallow as named in the hearing) projects a 2026 opening. The sheriff said bringing inmates back from out‑of‑county facilities to a locally operated jail could produce substantial operating savings and free deputies for patrol duties.
Robinson outlined equipment and operating asks including a five‑year replacement contract for tasers: roughly $100,000 per year and an all‑in investment just under $500,000. He said the vendor negotiated pricing and the department sought a volume discount.
A major topic was the sheriff’s pension plan. Robinson said the plan failed to meet the actuarially determined contribution for several consecutive years and the county received a noncompliance letter from the state pension authority. He described a remediation path that could require an infusion of roughly $400,000 per year over the next three years plus increases in employer contribution rates to restore actuarial compliance; council members asked for an actuary to brief the council at a future meeting.
Robinson also provided updates on jail operations, food contract negotiations and opioid settlement‑funded programming intended to reduce jail populations; he reiterated that no formal budget actions were being taken at the hearing.
