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Sheriff urges phased five‑year contract as Swisher grows, cites staffing and cost data
Summary
At the Sept. 23 Swisher City Hall meeting, the county sheriff outlined a proposed five‑year contract framework to align staffing hours and town budgets, said ICR reports and criminal charges are slightly down year‑over‑year and warned the county is tracking growth that will increase demand for law enforcement.
At a Swisher City Council meeting on Sept. 23, the county sheriff urged the council to approve a multiyear contract framework that would set both hourly rates and contracted hours for the next five years so towns and the sheriff's office can budget on the same schedule. The sheriff said the city’s incident crime report (ICR) numbers were down by six and criminal charges down by five compared with last year, while traffic stops rose in part because of added activity on Wednesday nights.
The sheriff framed the proposal as a way to close the gap between what towns pay and the actual cost to provide deputy coverage. “The actual salary and benefit per hour cost for the 7 year deputy sheriff is $61 an hour,” he said, and noted that if the towns increase contracted hours gradually the county can avoid sudden budget shocks. He also explained how ICRs differ from calls for service, with an ICR generated only when an incident report or charge is filed and calls for service including routine checks or nonreportable contacts.
Council members asked how business checks and overtime would be handled under a different hours structure; the sheriff said certain overtime minimums and availability across patrol zones mean shifting hours could increase costs and reduce deputies’ availability elsewhere. The sheriff did not ask the council to take final action that night and said a resolution to formalize the proposal would appear on a future agenda for formal approval. The council heard the presentation, asked clarifying questions about staffing and cost implications, and reserved the formal vote for the next agenda.
What happens next: the sheriff indicated he will place a resolution on a future agenda to document the five‑year schedule and allow each town to vote on the contract terms before the county board of supervisors reviews the multicity agreement.
