Pay increases for sheriff’s deputies will attract ‘good, qualified people,’ commissioners say
Milford. After bumping up compensation for correctional officers, the Pike County Commissioners are doing the same for new deputies, with rewards for longevity built in.
Milford /
| 21 Sep 2021 | 11:48
Pike County Courthouse, Milford (Photo by Pamela Chergotis)
The Pike County Commissioners on Sept. 15 approved a new pay scale for sheriff’s deputies, including longevity pay for deputies who have worked for the county for 10 years or more.
The starting salary for the deputies was increased to $20 per hour. They will receive 3 percent pay raises after years 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9.
Deputies will receive 6 percent raises after years 3 and 6 and will receive a 5 percent pay raise after year 10.
Deputies who have completed 11 years of service will receive annual 3 percent raises.
Longevity pay will be issued to deputies who have completed at least 10 years of service, starting at $250 and increasing by $25 increments until the deputy completes their 14th year of service, when the check reaches $350. For years 15 and beyond, the deputy will receive $350 annually on the employment anniversary date.
“We hope this will enable us to fill those openings by attracting good, qualified people,” Commissioner Ronald Schmalzle said.
The commissioners also approved a measure to increase the salaries of existing deputies to line up with the new pay scale.
“We need to move them up at the same scale as those who had just been hired,” Commissioners Director Matthew Osterberg said.
The previous week on Sept. 8, the commissioners did a similar thing for the employees at the county correctional facility.
After hiring two new correctional officers at a higher salary on Sept. 1, the salary board on Sept. 8 approved longevity bonuses, starting at $1,000 for employees that have been there for at least 6 years, and raised minimum hourly rates for the food production supervisor, maintenance staff, clerical and treatment counselors.
The board also approved starting hourly wages of $24 per hour for correctional officers. The rate rises to $26 after a year, $29 after two years, $31 after four years and $33 after 8 years. The board also approved an annual salary of $5,000 between corrections officers and sergeants and a $10,000 minimum separation between corrections officers and lieutenants.
They also passed a measure to raise annual salaries of correctional facilities employees.
