Pierce County Council approves $1.5M retention payments for sheriff deputies, amends eligibility to 90 days

The Pierce County Council on Dec. 2 approved a biennial budget amendment that includes a $1.5 million allocation for one‑time retention payments to eligible Pierce County Sheriff's Office employees and a set of district food‑bank allocations responding to local need.

Council Amendment No. 1 — moved by Council member Morrell and explained by county finance staff — adds $1,500,000 to miscellaneous current expenses in the general fund and directs the county to use the funds for one‑time end‑of‑year retention payments to eligible full‑time badged or commissioned law‑enforcement employees of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. Under the amended provisos, an eligible employee must be a full‑time badged commissioned employee as of passage and have been employed by Pierce County for at least 90 days. Payments were set at $5,000 per eligible employee; if the $1.5M allocation is insufficient to cover all eligible employees, payments will be proportionately reduced. The amendment requires a written attestation that an employee will repay the payment if they separate for reasons other than retirement before Dec. 31, 2026; repayment may be withheld from final paychecks at the county’s discretion.

Mr. Bokey briefed the council on the amendment’s details and said the appropriation increases the use of fund balance; he confirmed vacancy savings in the sheriff’s department exist and that moving funds into miscellaneous expense versus the sheriff’s departmental budget has the same net effect on the same general‑fund pot of money. Council members debated the fiscal tradeoffs: several members emphasized public safety and retention concerns and acknowledged the county is in collective bargaining with the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff's Independent Guild, a point repeatedly noted by sponsors and supporters.

Council member Morrell framed the payment as a targeted retention incentive, said the department has lost deputies this year (he cited 12) and said the training and outfitting cost for a new deputy exceeds $150,000. Vice chair Herrera, Council member Denson and others supported the amendment as both symbolic and practical recognition of deputies’ service. Council member Morales asked whether vacancy savings could fund the payments; staff said the same fund balance would be used in either case.

Council amended the eligibility requirement mid‑debate, changing the minimum employment length from 30 days to 90 days (the change was verbal and later adopted). Sergeant Sean Darby, president of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department Independent Guild, thanked the council and noted roughly five members would lose eligibility because of the change to 90 days.

Public commenters also pressed the council for food‑security assistance: volunteer Angeline Esquierdo (The Salvation Army Hope Market, Puyallup) asked that local food banks be included in budget allocations, saying staples such as eggs, milk, formula and diapers had been scarce after SNAP changes. Council members said district‑level allocations to local food banks (for example, Key Peninsula Community Services) were included and that staff had identified partners to distribute funds.

The clerk called the roll on Proposal O2025‑572 as amended; council members voted 7‑0, and the motion was adopted.

What this means: Eligible deputies will receive one‑time retention payments once bargaining concludes and required attestations are executed; the county will follow the provisos laid out in the adopted amendment and staff will proceed to implement the allocations to food‑bank partners as directed.