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Sheriff Austin Garrett asks Hamilton County for 4.8% operating increase, cites drone replacements and pay raises
Summary
Sheriff Austin Garrett asked the Hamilton County finance committee for a 4.8% operating increase (stated as $3.42 million) and additional capital funding to replace vehicles and vendor-supported drones after federal and state restrictions on Chinese-made UAS, and he said staffing would be held at 500.
Sheriff Austin Garrett told the Hamilton County finance committee that his office is seeking a targeted fiscal increase to cover pay, technology and unavoidable service-cost growth. "Our total increase ask is 4.8% over last year's fiscal," Garrett said, listing a $3.42 million operating increase and an additional capital outlay request as the drivers of the proposal.
Garrett said the sheriff's office is holding total full-time staffing at 500 and is managing vacancies and restructuring rather than expanding headcount. "We're not seeking additional full-time positions," he said, adding the office has used part-time support and reallocation to meet demands while avoiding a larger permanent payroll increase.
A key technology request is replacement of the agency's drone fleet after changes at state and federal levels that limit replacement of certain Chinese-made models. Garrett said the office once had 28 drones and is down to nine and argued the program is a lifesaving tool: "We've located 30 plus people with this technology. That's the most important data that I can give you is 30 people." He identified Axon as a vendor partner for body cameras, in‑car systems and an alternate drone product.
Garrett characterized about half of the operating increase as funding to maintain the county pay matrix for sworn personnel and civilian advancement; roughly one quarter is tied to the UAS/drone program and related emergency-management devices, and the remaining quarter addresses rising service costs such as jail medical agreements, facility maintenance and fleet repairs.
Commissioners pressed for detail on line-item presentation. In response to a question about employee pay increases, Garrett confirmed the deputies' raise factored into his plan was 4%: "What we're asking for today ... 4%." Other commissioners asked why a single "administrative services" line appeared large relative to patrol and requested clearer coding that spreads promotional and salary allocations across operational lines.
Garrett said the sheriff's office receives some capital support from grants but argued historical capital levels have been insufficient to sustain the fleet: "We've received $1.4 million in capital annually in recent years, but we're falling short and the need is actually $2 million per year," he said.
He framed the budget ask as a focused investment in public safety and workforce retention rather than a broad expansion. "This is a targeted investment in public safety," Garrett said, and he closed by noting the office's reported results: "You'll note in there there's been a 20% reduction in crime in Hamilton County this past year."
