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Sheriff seeks to convert deputy post to lieutenant to stabilize supervision
Summary
Sheriff Sperling asked the Board of Commissioners to reclassify a deputy position to lieutenant to provide fixed pay, stable supervision and cross-training as many patrol staff have under five years' experience; the annual cost difference is roughly $20,000, the sheriff said.
Sheriff Sperling asked the Mason County Board of Commissioners to approve converting a deputy position to a lieutenant, saying the change would create more predictable pay and add a second risk manager to oversee a patrol force with many relatively new officers.
“It's actually gonna work out to be about a $20,000 difference each year, but that'll be fixed,” Sperling said, arguing that converting the post to sergeant instead would leave pay subject to premium pay and overtime and could cost more in the long run.
Sperling told commissioners that about 60% of the patrol division has less than five years’ service and the office expects a wave of retirements among midlevel supervisors. He said the reclassification would permit rotating lieutenants between patrol and civil divisions, cross-training detectives and the community-liaison team and making the chief buyer a commissioned position to reduce pay disparities between commissioned and noncommissioned chiefs.
Commissioners indicated support during the briefing and asked about the civil-service process and HR notice requirements. Staff noted that civil service conversion would follow established procedures and that human resources would be notified to start the required steps.
No formal, recorded vote was taken during the briefing; the sheriff said the requested reclassification has been under consideration and is intended as a long-term restructuring to address upcoming leadership transitions and training needs.
