Lancaster County urges Hickman to consider funding a second contracted deputy as city grows

Lancaster County Chief Deputy Ben Houchin told the Hickman City Council on Tuesday that the citys fast growth and rising activity levels make a case for adding a second contracted deputy.

Houchin, who identified himself as a chief deputy with the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office, said Hickman is now "the number one growing city in Nebraska" and described how attractions such as local lakes and summer events are contributing to higher call volumes. He said the county currently bills the city for one contracted deputy and that contracting for an additional full-time deputy would increase costs; he cited an annual estimate of about $153,000 for the countys service package, which includes investigations, tactical units and dispatch support.

The nut of Houchins presentation was that additional local coverage drives proactive policing and increases the number of documented calls for service. He compared Hickman to nearby Waverly, where multiple full-time deputies and a school resource officer lead to more proactive stops and higher recorded call counts. "You guys are growing so fast," he said, "and that's awesome. The only and it's not an issue, but it's you guys are growing so fast. We have not added another deputy to the ranks to work in Hickman."

Council members asked detailed questions about scheduling, response times and the countys capacity to staff a second position. Houchin said the department will soon have five recruits entering the academy and that the county expects to be closer to full staffing within a year. He also described the departments training arrangements with the Lincoln Police Department Academy and said deputies assigned to contract towns can be scheduled in different shift patterns to provide seven-day coverage if two deputies are contracted.

The discussion also explored alternatives to funding a full-time deputy, including a flexible or part-time contract that would place extra patrol hours on peak days or peak hours. County staff said such flexible duty arrangements are possible in some smaller towns but cautioned that increasing the authorized deputy strength requires county approval and can have workforce-allocation implications.

Houchin and county presenters emphasized that Hickman already receives broader county resources beyond the single contracted deputy, including investigative teams and specialty units, and that those services are included in the current contractual relationship. They noted deputies cover large areas when the Hickman deputy is off duty and that response times for non-emergency calls can be longer when district cars must travel from other parts of Lancaster County.

The council did not take a final vote during the presentation. Members said they would discuss budget implications and options, including whether to increase the hours currently budgeted for deputy overtime (the city has historically budgeted roughly $10,000 a year for overtime coverage). Councilors asked county staff to provide more detailed response-time data and the breakdown of call types so the city can evaluate whether a full second contract or a flexible-hours approach would better match public-safety needs.

Next steps: County staff offered to supply response-time statistics and a clearer cost breakdown; the council indicated it would consider the matter during upcoming budget workshops and future meetings.