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Sheriff urges higher pay to retain deputies and flags $1M‑plus radio maintenance cost
Summary
Sheriff’s office reported ammunition and body‑camera needs, raised alarm about a proposed Motorola maintenance agreement for the new radio system (~$1,053,539/year) and requested an additional 6% step increase (above the standard COLA) to keep deputies competitive with neighboring counties.
The King George County Sheriff’s Office presented several budget pressures tied to operations and recruitment.
The office reported ammunition costs rising from $25,000 to $44,000 and asked the board to consider funding for replacement mobile/body cameras including licensing and cloud storage. A major concern was a maintenance agreement for the county’s new radio system; the sheriff said the proposed annual cost was about $1,053,539 and warned the board that failing to sign a maintenance contract by the year‑end could risk incentives and future Motorola support.
On personnel, the sheriff said King George deputies earn roughly 10–20% less than comparable positions in neighboring counties and requested a 6% step increase in addition to the standard COLA for officers to remain competitive and reduce turnover. "To maintain public safety and operational effectiveness, the sheriff's office is essentially asking for an additional 6% to the step increase," the sheriff said. He noted that the additional 6% would add about $169,966 to the county payroll compared with a base 3% step program.
Supervisors pressed for comparisons and suggested exploring grant programs and partnerships (for example, reimbursement programs that can offset deputies’ costs) and asked county legal and procurement staff to review the Motorola maintenance terms before approving any long‑term commitments.
What’s next: Sheriff and administration to provide additional comparative compensation data, explore 287(g) and other reimbursement options, and bring contract documentation and lifecycle cost estimates for the radio system maintenance back to the board for review.
