We support the Cole County's Sheriff Department's attempt at an incentive pay plan to hopefully help the department hire more employees.
As we reported, the Cole County Commission on Tuesday approved an incentive pay plan from Sheriff John Wheeler that would pay newly hired jailers a $2,000 bonus, as well as newly hired deputies a $3,000 bonus, if they agree to stay with the department for two years. The employee must pay the incentive back if they don't stay two years.
The current jailer base pay is $35,000. There are 18 jailers budgeted for the department with a total jail staff of 38. Wheeler said they are currently down 13 full- and part-time positions in the jail.
The problem of staffing shortages isn't unique to the Cole County Sheriff's Department. Law enforcement agencies in Mid-Missouri and across the nation have had trouble keeping their departments fully staffed.
Part of the problem might be due to the dangerous work that comes with being in law enforcement. On top of that, there's an anti-law enforcement sentiment and attempts to defund law enforcement in some parts of the country.
With COVID-19 stimulus payments, all employers have faced challenges finding workers.
Many officers/deputies who leave their agencies do so for higher pay at a nearby agency.
Sheriff's departments are near the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to salaries in law enforcement. It's unfortunate, because they, like others in law enforcement, are professionally trained, work odd hours at times and face constant danger.
The full-time deputy base pay is $38,800 in Cole County. There are nine deputies in the jail, 18 in the patrol division and four deputies in the civil division.
We think the incentive pay has the potential to draw employees to the Sheriff's Department, where Wheeler hopes to keep them by showing them the department is a good place to work.
This plan might not be the silver bullet that makes the department fully staffed, but we think it has the potential to help.