Turnover trend shows law enforcement leaving county for better pay
CHENANGO COUNTY – The Chenango County’s Sheriff’s Office has battled high-turnover rates and complaints of low-pay for years, but without support from the Chenango County Board of Supervisors, employees and officials said it won't change anytime soon.
Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting, at a county safety and rules committee meeting, commented, "We're not asking for top pay, but [we] are asking for enough to be competitive."
Meeting minutes from the board of supervisors and varying committees show some supervisors fighting for competitive wages, and others fighting against them.
In recent years, officials from the county have opted to spend thousands on legal services to negotiation labor contracts.
Chenango County caps its pay for deputy sheriff’s by thousands of dollars less, on average, then the wages offered in neighboring counties after five years of service.
After five years of service, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office salaries range from $2,599 to $21,175 – less than its neighbors – and the county only offers basic healthcare benefits with 10 percent dental coverage, whereas the surrounding counties often offer more extensive services including vision.
The top out for deputy salary is $48,863 in Chenango County, and the most comparable top out is $51,462 for deputies in Delaware County.
The counties offering salaries comparable to Chenango County's aren't required to operate 24-hours a day, all week, and some also allow officers to take their police vehicles home.
However, the Chenango County Sheriff's Office is a full coverage agency, deputies are not allowed to take vehicles home.
According to a prior employee of Chenango County's Sheriff Office, salaries are one of the main reasons officers look elsewhere for long-time employment.
“In October 2017, I left the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and transferred to a neighboring agency,” said Prior Deputy Sheriff Derrick Kruser.
Kruser said he had 12 years of experience in the law enforcement field when he left the sheriff’s office. He said the office is a very professional organization, along with a good place to work, but added that law enforcement officers are underpaid in Chenango County.
“Chenango County is unwilling to pay wages consistent with the profession,” he said. “By transferring, I increased my base pay by almost $17,000.”
Kruser said deputies are trained, work for a few years, and then move on to another department because of the difference in salary.
"If the county would start to pay competitive wages, experienced police officers would stay,” he said.
Though the county's supervisors wouldn’t talk about the turnover rates and pay issues because they are in contract negotiations with the sheriff's office. Records of public meetings relating to the topic highlighted some of the discussions about law enforcement officers in Chenango County and a competitive wage.
"...the labor relations line is back down to $11,000 for 2018, which is the amount typically budgeted. [Chenango County Personnel Officer Lisa Kerr] noted that last year they were at $43,000, which included some rollover amounts," stated the Chenango personnel meeting minutes.
The records show Chenango County is spent $43,000 in 2017 in contract negotiations.
Although some committee members have made it clear there is an issue that needs to be handled.
Meeting minutes indicate Safety Committee Member Grace Mucero-Alger commented, “We are fooling ourselves if we think we’re going to be able to hire from outside the county when there is a salary issue at the Sheriff’s Office."
Contacted Wednesday Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Lawrence N. Wilcox said, "Well, we've always had a staff."
Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting, at a county safety and rules committee meeting, commented, "We're not asking for top pay, but [we] are asking for enough to be competitive."
Meeting minutes from the board of supervisors and varying committees show some supervisors fighting for competitive wages, and others fighting against them.
In recent years, officials from the county have opted to spend thousands on legal services to negotiation labor contracts.
Chenango County caps its pay for deputy sheriff’s by thousands of dollars less, on average, then the wages offered in neighboring counties after five years of service.
After five years of service, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office salaries range from $2,599 to $21,175 – less than its neighbors – and the county only offers basic healthcare benefits with 10 percent dental coverage, whereas the surrounding counties often offer more extensive services including vision.
The top out for deputy salary is $48,863 in Chenango County, and the most comparable top out is $51,462 for deputies in Delaware County.
The counties offering salaries comparable to Chenango County's aren't required to operate 24-hours a day, all week, and some also allow officers to take their police vehicles home.
However, the Chenango County Sheriff's Office is a full coverage agency, deputies are not allowed to take vehicles home.
According to a prior employee of Chenango County's Sheriff Office, salaries are one of the main reasons officers look elsewhere for long-time employment.
“In October 2017, I left the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and transferred to a neighboring agency,” said Prior Deputy Sheriff Derrick Kruser.
Kruser said he had 12 years of experience in the law enforcement field when he left the sheriff’s office. He said the office is a very professional organization, along with a good place to work, but added that law enforcement officers are underpaid in Chenango County.
“Chenango County is unwilling to pay wages consistent with the profession,” he said. “By transferring, I increased my base pay by almost $17,000.”
Kruser said deputies are trained, work for a few years, and then move on to another department because of the difference in salary.
"If the county would start to pay competitive wages, experienced police officers would stay,” he said.
Though the county's supervisors wouldn’t talk about the turnover rates and pay issues because they are in contract negotiations with the sheriff's office. Records of public meetings relating to the topic highlighted some of the discussions about law enforcement officers in Chenango County and a competitive wage.
"...the labor relations line is back down to $11,000 for 2018, which is the amount typically budgeted. [Chenango County Personnel Officer Lisa Kerr] noted that last year they were at $43,000, which included some rollover amounts," stated the Chenango personnel meeting minutes.
The records show Chenango County is spent $43,000 in 2017 in contract negotiations.
Although some committee members have made it clear there is an issue that needs to be handled.
Meeting minutes indicate Safety Committee Member Grace Mucero-Alger commented, “We are fooling ourselves if we think we’re going to be able to hire from outside the county when there is a salary issue at the Sheriff’s Office."
Contacted Wednesday Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Lawrence N. Wilcox said, "Well, we've always had a staff."
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