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Sheriff proposes outsourcing third‑shift courthouse security to save about $50,000–$141,000 annually
Summary
The sheriff proposed eliminating four third‑shift courthouse security positions and hiring a contracted private security firm; preliminary vendor quotes ranged from about $79,000 to $104,000, with potential net savings versus current county staffing of about $141,000.
The sheriff told commissioners that since the county assumed courthouse security in July 2025, the department has been maintaining two full‑time and two part‑time third‑shift positions that are hard to fill. He proposed issuing an RFP to contract third‑shift coverage and cited three preliminary vendor price quotes: $79,000, $90,500 and $104,000. He said eliminating the four county positions would save about $141,000 compared with current staffing and overtime costs.
The proposed contracted team would provide camera monitoring, perimeter checks and first responses to fire alarms and similar incidents overnight. "They're monitoring cameras... they walk the perimeter, to make sure that we're not having vandalism or break ins in the downtown, courthouse complex," the sheriff said. Commissioners asked for operational detail about monitoring, staffing levels and response protocols before authorizing a formal RFP and any position eliminations.
Staff indicated the county will pursue the RFP process and return with a recommended contract and analysis of operational differences before approving staffing or budget changes.
