Lots of Discussion Before Drug Officers’ Big Pay Raise Tabled

Commissioners Said They Have Had Lots of Feedback from the Public on Issue

Fayette County Commissioners deferred action on raises for two Fayette County Sheriff’s deputies in the department’s drug interdiction unit. County Judge Joe Weber said at a meetng on Thursday, May 14, that he and the commissioners will reconsider the proposal later this summer when they begin planning next year’s budget.

The Sheriff’s Office proposed the raises for the two officers at a meeting on April 23. At that time, Chief Deputy Randy Noviskie told the commissioners that the Sheriff’s Office could lose the two deputies to higher paying jobs at other agencies. He said the one of the officers currently makes around $47,000 and the other makes $48,000 annually. The Sheriff’s Office proposed raising their salaries to $75,000 for one and $94,000 for the other.

The raises would be paid out of the Sheriff’s forfeiture fund. That fund gets its money from cash and the sale of other property seized during criminal investigations. The bulk of that money comes from the work of those two officers, whose primary duties involve stopping suspected drug smugglers on Interstate 10. State law allows the Sheriff to use forfeiture funds to purchase vehicles and equipment, to provide training and other law enforcement expenses. The law also allows forfeiture funds to be used for salaries, but only if the Commissioners Court approves.

At last Thursday’s meeting, Sheriff Keith Korenek urged the Commissioner to consider granting at least a portion of the raises. He said the officers have been approached by other agencies with offers of better-paying jobs.

“Loyalty only gets you so far,” Korenek said.

Weber questioned the timing of the Sheriff’s request. He said the County may have to make some drastic budget cuts next year due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported in last Friday’s paper, sales tax collections in La Grange were already down $100,000 compared to last year. Some market analysts project a fall in home prices next year, which could reduce property tax collections for the county as well.

“If we have to cut the budget in your department, fortunately you have the forfeiture fund,” Weber said.

The Judge read a list of items that the Sheriff’s Office requested and Commissioners approved in last year’s budget including police-package service pickups and pay increases for employees with advanced certifications.

“If we were to cut your budget, you would need that forfeiture fund to pick up some of the slack,” Weber said. “I wouldn’t begin to tell you how to spend that because that’s your bailiwick. Those are just some of my thoughts. The timing of this, does it have to be done right now? Could we wait and see what things look like as we get through the budget process?”

Korenek responded by saying there may “never be a good time.”

“There’s always going to be unforeseen circumstances,” Korenek said. “We don’t know how long this coronavirus stuff is going to go on. The timing today may be just as good as two years from now.”

All four of the commissioners and the judge said they have received calls from citizens mostly opposed to the raises. Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff said he has taken more calls from citizens about the pay raises than he did when the county raised property taxes last year.

“Would you rather retain those officers here or would you see them go somewhere else and make this money for a different agency?” Korenek asked. “I”m not saying give them the full amount. I’m saying that’s what they could be making somewhere else.”

Pct. 4 Commissioner Tom Muras questioned the effectiveness of the Sheriff’s drug interdiction program.

“We’ve got this drug war but I think we’re losing that war,” said Muras said.

“Sure, and if we keep losing officers we’re going to really lose that war,” Korenek said.

Berckenhoff said some of his constituents want the officers fight drugs that are already in the community instead of drugs passing through the County on Interstate 10. Korenek argued that the drugs on I-10 eventually find their way into the community through networks of drug dealers.

Muras recalled a discussion from many years ago when a previous sheriff in Fayette County asked the Commissioners for funds to hire an extra deputy. At that time, Muras said, someone suggested that the sheriff could instruct the new deputy to write enough traffic tickets to pay for his salary.

“The County Attorney at that time said we shouldn’t be saying things like that,” Muras said

Korenek interjected, “No, you don’t, because you don’t want to be a revenue generating agency. We’re not here for that. We’re here for public safety. But if you have this impact, and you’re authorized by law to utilize it for that, then why wouldn’t you?”

Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom said the proposal would make one of the officers the highest-paid hourly employee in the County government. McBroom raised concerns about the officer’s overtime compensation if the raises are approved.

Commissioners unanimously voted to defer action on the request until they begin planning for next years budget. That process usually begins in late summer.