For the first time in three decades, the U.S has a new top dog breed.
Calhoun County Sheriff Thomas Summers is asking County Council to make his department a priority when it develops next year’s budget.
“These are not day laborers, these are trained professionals. These are educated people. They are law enforcement who not only put on a gun, but they put on a bulletproof vest to do their jobs,” Summers told council members on Monday.
“You all, as our government body, choose every year what you all want to invest in. This year I am asking you to invest in these folks,” he said.
With several of his deputies in attendance in Council Chambers, Summers frequently asked council to look at the deputies and, “if they ain’t worth it, y’all tell them.’
“I can’t do it no more,” Summers said.
Council Chairman James Haigler said council members will consider the request.
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“Come budget time we will look at it,” Haigler said. “I am not making any promises to say we are going to do this or do that. We are going to do what we can for them.”
Council has tried to help everyone who works for the county, Haigler said.
“We can’t just take all our funds and put it in one place. We are trying to help everybody in this county, not only the deputies,” he said.
Summers provided council with background on the department’s staffing.
The department had six deputies when he joined in 1987. When he took office in 2000, the department had 22 deputies that filled all the department’s slotted positions.
Summers noted these 22 deputies answered 5,000 service calls made to 911 in 2000.
Calhoun County currently has 28 deputy slots, but only 22 deputies on staff. Six slots still need to be filled.
He said these 22 deputies answered 20,000 calls, or about 15,000 more calls than the same amount of staff 23 years ago.
In addition, Summers said the agency’s investigative division investigated 1,900 major crimes, secured over 500 warrants, served over 800 civil papers and evicted 120 people.
“Our agency has only grown by six men in 23 years,” Summers said. “That is a lot of work for this group of people that haven’t been really added to in 23 years.”
Summers also noted he is currently down five deputies who left for other jobs. Two are currently looking for jobs elsewhere.
“That puts us at operating at 75% capacity, but our patrol division is operating at 50% of capacity,” Summers said. “Those 20,000 calls for service is operating at half staff now, where I have had to put some command staff on shift answering calls.”
Summers said understaffing has resulted in short response times.
“If my staff goes down, down, down, the response time goes up, up, up,” Summers said. “To me, a response time of a half hour or longer is unacceptable. It should be unacceptable to y’all and I know it is unacceptable to the citizens of Calhoun County that I have served all these years.”
“When they call, they need us, and when they need us, I want to be there,” Summers continued. “With limited staffing, I just can’t do it.”
He said the deputies are leaving for places offering a $12,000 to $15,000 raise.
Deputies “just can’t pay their bills” with what Calhoun County is paying them.
“We are competing with agencies now that are offering sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses and the starting salary is about $15,000 higher than what we are starting at,” he said.
When people learn the starting salary “that is the end of the game, that is the end of the conversation. They don’t talk anymore.”
“I know we are a small county,” Summers said. “I am no fool as to small county, small government.”
But he challenged council to set the standard for small counties in support of law enforcement. He noted the county has spent money on recreation facilities, walking parks and a country club.
“What I am asking is for once put these people as a top priority on y’alls budget list,” he said. “That is what I am asking.”
Summers asked for salaries to be raised to a comparable standard with other counties for new hires and to retain employees, and money to fill the six vacancies.
Summers said he could use between 10 and 12 additional deputies to get the job done.
“I need money and I need men,” he said.
Summers received a round of applause for his comments. Haigler quieted the applause with his gavel.
“You all know how we run this council meeting,” Haigler said. “There is no applause. I don’t want no applause for me and I don’t want none for the employees. We are trying to run a legitimate meeting here, not a cheerleading squad down here.”
County resident Tris Waystack, while acknowledging he was not on the agenda to speak, requested to speak following Summers’ comments, prompting Haigler to say that he could not do so.
Waystack tried to continue to speak.
“Please be quiet,” Haigler said.
In addressing Summers, Haigler noted the county has put money into recreational parks because the county had nowhere for children and young people to go.
“I think sometimes when these children have something to do, it will make it less for these sheriffs and deputies to do to keep them out of trouble,” Haigler said.
County Council is not opposed to the deputies and wants to provide them with as much as possible, he said.
Haigler also mentioned Waystack, who unsuccessfully ran against Haigler in the November.
“I don’t need my ex opponent to come in here and try to make campaign stuff for the next election,” Haigler said. “I don’t appreciate that.”
Waystack tried to comment again.
“Sir, I appreciate that you be quiet like I told you,” Haigler said.
“Yes, sir,” Waystack said.
“I am chairing this meeting,” Haigler said.
“Yes sir,” Waystack said.
Calhoun County Council provides people with an opportunity to sign in should they want to make public comments. The body provides individuals with three minutes to speak and limits the comments to ten people at one meeting.
The body also does not allow individuals who repeatedly speak about the same topic to continually come before the body to speak on the same matter.
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