Pierce Co sheriff has 90 days to save 7 deputies from budget ax
TACOMA, Wash. -- As Pierce County prepares to bury one deputy, it's also trying to save seven others from the budget ax.
The sheriff's department can't afford to pay them, but it has bought more time to look for the money.
The sheriff received a 90-day extension before those layoffs take effect. With the clock ticking, the challenge now is finding money where there isn't any.
Deputies are already in short supply around Pierce County, where patrols cover vast areas that take backup units a long time to arrive.
The county's budget for 2010 doesn't help matters. The sheriff's department was asked to slash 15 positions. Then several weeks ago, the undersheriff learned she'd have to cut seven more deputies.
"They are doing great work for us out there. we don't want to lose them," said Undersheriff Eileen Bisson.
Bisson says the new cuts came when University Place and the city of Edgewood decided they could no longer afford the policing services supplied by Pierce County.
The department then sent layoff notices to its seven most junior officers despite the recruitment and training costs already incurred.
"From the time that you actually look at an individual that puts in an application, to the time that they're ready for the street, you're looking at approximately 18 months. That's a lot of time, money and effort that we've already put into these seven deputies," said Bisson.
If the seven jobs are lost, the sheriff's department will face the elimination of 22 deputy positions in just more than two years.
Deputy Kent Mundell's murder makes the proposed layoffs that much harder to stomach for many in the area. Some fear the layoffs raise the potential for increased crime and lawlessness.
"I think you have law enforcement agencies throughout the area that are just reeling from this," said Bisson.
The sheriff's department is using grant money to save a couple positions, and it's looking at ways to fund more deputy positions creatively.
The 90-day extension starts ticking down Jan. 1.
The sheriff's department can't afford to pay them, but it has bought more time to look for the money.
The sheriff received a 90-day extension before those layoffs take effect. With the clock ticking, the challenge now is finding money where there isn't any.
Deputies are already in short supply around Pierce County, where patrols cover vast areas that take backup units a long time to arrive.
The county's budget for 2010 doesn't help matters. The sheriff's department was asked to slash 15 positions. Then several weeks ago, the undersheriff learned she'd have to cut seven more deputies.
"They are doing great work for us out there. we don't want to lose them," said Undersheriff Eileen Bisson.
Bisson says the new cuts came when University Place and the city of Edgewood decided they could no longer afford the policing services supplied by Pierce County.
The department then sent layoff notices to its seven most junior officers despite the recruitment and training costs already incurred.
"From the time that you actually look at an individual that puts in an application, to the time that they're ready for the street, you're looking at approximately 18 months. That's a lot of time, money and effort that we've already put into these seven deputies," said Bisson.
If the seven jobs are lost, the sheriff's department will face the elimination of 22 deputy positions in just more than two years.
Deputy Kent Mundell's murder makes the proposed layoffs that much harder to stomach for many in the area. Some fear the layoffs raise the potential for increased crime and lawlessness.
"I think you have law enforcement agencies throughout the area that are just reeling from this," said Bisson.
The sheriff's department is using grant money to save a couple positions, and it's looking at ways to fund more deputy positions creatively.
The 90-day extension starts ticking down Jan. 1.