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Beaufort County to raise starting pay for corrections‑officer trainees as part of retention push
Summary
After a compensation study, staff proposed increasing corrections‑officer trainee starting pay from $24.29/hour to $27.14/hour (a ~12% step) and scaling other detention pay grades up ~7.2%; staff said the FY26 mid‑year cost is manageable and annualized costs are in the low hundreds of thousands.
Beaufort County staff presented an internal compensation study for the detention center on March 10 and recommended increasing the starting pay for corrections‑officer trainees and scaling pay grades upward to improve recruitment and retention.
Staff described an industry‑wide shortage of detention workers and high turnover in the county’s corrections officer ranks. A multi‑department data collection effort compared county pay to local and regional competitors and recommended boosting the entry wage and adjusting the pay scale so the county is more competitive for experienced officers. The principal recommendation presented: raise the corrections‑officer trainee hourly rate from $24.29 to $27.14, moving a trainee’s annualized base from roughly $52,300 to about $56,451; the pay bands for certified corrections officers (grades 402–414) would increase by an approximately 7.2% step to maintain internal progression.
Fiscal impact and implementation: staff said the detention‑center wages and salaries line can absorb the mid‑year impact for the remainder of FY26 (the presenter estimated about $65,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year to cover filled positions at the revised rates), and annualized cost for existing filled positions was presented in the low hundreds of thousands (~$213,000) before counting vacancies. Staff noted that vacancies and turnover make precise forecasting difficult and that the pay change is one element of a broader retention strategy that includes improved officer facilities, equipment and leadership.
Council and staff context: presenters emphasized training and mentorship needs and acknowledged pay is only one factor; improving the facility’s muster and locker rooms, investing in systems to reduce officers’ paperwork, and recruiting a detention‑center director with strong leadership were cited as complementary actions to improve morale and retention.
Action taken: council directed staff to implement the proposed pay increases starting the next pay period and to identify funding sources and budget offsets for FY27, with follow‑up reporting to council.
Ending: staff will implement the schedule, continue recruitment and return during the budget process with the annualized funding plan and any recommended operational changes to the facility.
