Sheriff briefs Knox County Commission on federal grant to add deputies; commissioners discuss phased application

Pat Holke, who identified himself during the meeting, told the Knox County Commission that the county is eligible to apply for federal programs (including COPS/hiring and related Connect grants) to add law-enforcement staff and specialist positions.

Holke outlined the county’s staffing shortfall and the grant’s basic cost structure: the program would cover about 75% of salary and fringe for new positions in the first three years while the county would be fully responsible for ongoing costs in later years. He said the department’s estimate for needed new deputies is roughly eight to meaningfully improve coverage in outlying towns; adding eight deputies would translate to about two additional deputies per shift under their operating model.

Holke described options to stagger hires (for example, applying for two positions initially and adding more in later grant cycles) and said the grant allows tiered requests. He noted other costs beyond salary — equipment, training and vehicles — and suggested a reserve or escrow approach to smooth future budget impacts when federal support ends.

Commissioners asked about per-resident cost, vehicles and fiscal timing; Chair (S2) and others discussed bringing Holke into the joint quarterly budget meeting to review numbers with the budget committee and department managers. Holke said awards are typically announced in late summer or by the end of September and that grant funding and federal priorities change by administration.

Why it matters: The grant could help the rural county add deputies while reducing short-term local budget pressure, but commissioners emphasized cautious, staged application and close budgeting to avoid unsustainable long-term costs when federal support ends.