Board tables sheriff's request for additional deputies

The decision to add up to two full-time deputies to the Rock County Sheriff’s Office was put on hold until next year.
At their Dec. 1 meeting, commissioners tabled any increases to the sheriff’s office budget for 2016. The topic will be addressed again during budget talks for 2017.
In October Sheriff Evan Verbrugge asked for a $30,000 increase in next year’s departmental budget.
The monies would have paid for the annual software and service of computers for the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system yet to be installed in his department’s squad cars.
Last week the sheriff’s department received a one-time $30,000 grant from the state’s Court Technology Fund Advisory Board.
For several years the commissioners have considered funding the installation and hardware for the CAD system.
The system allows deputies to access network information in the squad cars that traditionally is relayed by dispatch personnel to the officers. The CAD system would also allow officers to complete reports in the field.
The CAD system costs more than $200,000.
Verbrugge has also applied for an in-squad computer grant. The grants have become available in response to implementing the CAD system statewide by July 2016.
“The courts are getting away from paper,” Verbrugge explained.
Commissioners along with Verbrugge supported adding additional sheriff deputies instead of the CAD for 2016.
The CAD system is seen as streamlining an officer’s paperwork responsibilities; however, a more immediate concern is reducing overtime expenditures versus reducing an officer’s workload.
“If you break it down — all shifts, 10 people — not counting Evan … it’s less than one call per shift on average,” said County Administrator Kyle Oldre.
The Sheriff’s Office averages 4,000 hours in overtime for a yearly average cost of $130,000. The extra hours primarily cover the shift openings created by vacations, sick leaves or officer trainings.
Part-time deputies have been used to cover shift openings, but many have left for full-time positions after completing the necessary training and working on their own for a couple of months.
“We have done that 14 times in nine years,” Verbrugge said.
The cost for one full-time deputy, a squad car and equipment is estimated between $80,000 and $100,000.
The additional full-time deputies could save on overtime hours but would not eliminate the overtime expenses completely, Verbrugge said.
Chairman Ron Boyenga recommended tabling a decision on hiring deputies until next year, after the state’s 2016 legislative session is completed.
“Next year there are some proposals before the Legislature that could give us a fair amount of extra funding,” Boyenga said.
The Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) is advocating for $30 million in additional support in county program aid. Under the proposal all 87 Minnesota counties would receive $350,000 in tax base equalization aid.
Because the equalization is based on land values, Rock County wasn’t previously eligible for this tax base aid due to its high land values.