Lean times are ahead for the
Expenditures for 2017 are projected at $14.8 million, while the department is expected to end 2016 with $15.2 million in expenditures. This encompasses all Sheriff’s Office costs including administration, special operations, investigations and detentions.
Sheriff Sean Smith said he’s tightening, consolidating and eliminating costs where he can to prepare for a “short-term crisis.”
A rising population coupled with department efforts to increase its presence in the community means the number of calls and patrols are on the rise. When Smith took office in 2015, he said yearly patrols were 24,000. That number is expected to be 35,000 by year’s end.
Simultaneously, while funds are tight and workload is increasing, there is little incentive to join the force for potential deputies who could earn $2.65 per hour more working for Durango Police. To address that, Smith wants a pay scale increase that would bring the rate for Police Officer Standards and Training-certified deputies up to $24.75 – competitive with Durango Police – and the rate for uncertified deputies up to $20 per hour.
“That is a challenge for us,” Smith said of the hourly difference in Durango Police Department and Sheriff’s Office pay. He said it’s a struggle for some deputies given the cost of living in Durango.
On Monday, the sheriff and the department’s division heads met with county staff members to discuss the budget and cost-cutting avenues the office might pursue, including more civilian hires at the county jail.
Civilians without police academy training hired to work at the jail earn an hourly wage of $18.09, compared with the starting wage of $22.10 for POST-certified deputies.
Uncertified employees can receive training after they’re hired and receive their pay increases, but until then, they earn $4 less than POST-certified jail deputies. That means about $10,000 in savings per employee each year for the department, Smith said.
A deal with the state to rent county jail beds to the Department of Corrections could also boost revenue.
Smith told staff members he is taking a harder look at inventory and justifying the need, such as with firearms.
“We’re currently getting rid of some automatic weapons we don’t need,” he said.
This year, the department also laid off its county-employed medical staff and contracted with an out-of-state provider, Southern Health Partners, which provides 24-hour medical staffing. That is expected to save about $180,000 annually.
Other options were floated, including a public safety sales tax, similar to the half-cent sales tax proposal that will go before Pueblo voters next month in anticipation of raising $35 million in revenue for law enforcement.
This is part of a countywide effort to shave costs in the 2017 budget as an expected 18 percent decrease in property tax revenue stemming from declining natural gas prices will be felt in all county departments.
“Like what the sheriff’s department is doing with firearms, we’re all looking for ways to increase efficiency,” Assistant County Manager Joanne Spina said. “These are all tangible steps to reduce budgets.”
jpace@durangoherald.com
Budget hearing set
La Plata County staff will present the proposed 2017 budget in a public hearing set for 6 p.m. Tuesday. Residents will be able to provide feedback. The meeting will be at the county’s Administrative Building, 1101 East Second Ave.
