To: Board of Supervisors
From: Sheriff
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution to Adopt Recruitment and Retention Incentive Program for Deputy Sheriff II Lateral Police Officer Hires
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt Resolution No. _____ adopting a recruitment and retention incentive program for Deputy Sheriff II (class 0416B) lateral police officer candidates.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Sheriff's Seized Funds State Trust 3642
DISCUSSION:
Law Enforcement personnel shortages are occurring nationwide, and Humboldt County is no exception. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is experiencing a severe shortage of Deputy Sheriffs that is threatening its ability to continue to provide the same level of services to the community. Of the 85 Deputy Sheriff I/II positions, 8 are underfilled with Deputy Recruits in the academy or in the field training program and 15 are vacant. Therefore only 73% of HCSO's allocated positions are available to fill its many obligations to the community. Our Deputy Sheriffs are working harder than ever to keep up with the demands of the job, which includes dealing directly with higher rates of violence, drug addiction, mental illness, and various declared local emergencies. HCSO needs to pull out all stops in our recruitment of Deputy Sheriffs.
Hiring Deputies with experience cuts the training program down from 10 months (6-month academy) - to 6 weeks. Deputies are hired that already have attended a police academy, already passed a field training program, and successfully passed a probationary period at a POST certified law enforcement agency. The invaluable experience the county receives by hiring a lateral officer outweighs the cost of this incentive payment.
As a means to stimulate lateral recruitment of deputies and retain them, the Sheriff is proposing to re-instate a recruitment and retention incentive program that was originally implemented in June...
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