Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lancaster County board authorizes overlap hiring for deputies, clears planned taser purchase
Summary
The Board approved temporary overlap hiring authority for the Sheriff's Office to recruit and train replacements ahead of retirements and asked staff to return a taser replacement contract for formal approval; the hiring motion passed 5-0.
On March 5, 2026, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners authorized the Sheriff's Office to begin overlap hiring to maintain staffing during retirements and directed staff to bring a proposed taser replacement contract forward for formal approval.
The board voted 5-0 to allow the Sheriff's Office to hire up to 88 deputies as an overlap/recruitment authority while keeping the authorized permanent strength at 86. Commissioner Matt Schulte moved the measure and Commissioner Chelsea Johnson seconded it; Commissioners Vest, Johnson, Flowerday, Schulte and Chair Christa Yoakum voted yes.
Sheriff Terry Wagner and Chief Deputy Ben Houchin told the board that the office averages roughly two deputy retirements per year and that academy start dates and training timelines require beginning recruitment earlier than vacancy dates so new hires can be trained and positioned before retirements take effect. Houchin said the request was intended as overlap authority for recruitment and training, not a permanent staffing increase.
Houchin also raised captain pay compression as a separate personnel concern and presented pay options; the board asked for additional time to review those proposals before taking action.
Separately, Houchin notified the board of a planned five-year replacement package for tasers and related equipment from Axon, with an estimated total cost of about $478,416 to be funded from the Sheriff's sinking fund. Meyer (as noted in the minutes) observed the sinking fund balance was about $782,000. Board members asked staff to return the equipment contract to a regular meeting for formal consideration and approval and discussed payment timing (annual versus lump sum).
The board's next steps are for county purchasing and the Sheriff's Office to prepare the formal contract and for commissioners to consider any compensation or classification adjustments after the requested review of captain pay options.
