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Officials: department short of active deputies now; public-safety sales tax will phase in hires
Summary
An agency official said the department’s full‑time positions are filled on paper but the force is short of active deputies — "we're down 21 working deputies right now" — and described phased hires funded by a public‑safety sales tax that add nine positions this fall and 18 more next year, with equipment and training timelines cited as constraints.
A department official told the council that while full‑time positions were technically filled, the department was short of active deputies: "the positions are filled, but I'm down 21 working deputies right now." The official said several employees are in academy or field training and some are on leave, which affects how many officers are available for patrol.
The official outlined a phased hiring plan tied to the public-safety sales tax: three positions took effect Aug. 1, three more are due on Sept. 1 and three on Oct. 1, for nine short-term hires, with an additional 18 positions planned next year. The speaker cautioned that equipping new officers and completing training will take time and present implementation challenges.
