MOUNT VERNON — If the county commissioners approve Knox County Sheriff David Shaffer’s budget requests, Shaffer plans to add an additional patrol officer to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and an additional jailer at the Knox County Jail.
Shaffer’s operating budget for the KCSO comes in at $2.695 million, about 5.5 percent higher than 2017 appropriations. He plans to fill a vacant patrol position as well as hire an additional patrol officer. That would give the KCSO three patrol officers on each shift.
“We’re trying to get so that we are not at the minimums or having so much overtime when someone takes off. A lot of times we are working two guys on the day shift,” said Shaffer.
The KCSO budget includes a 3 percent salary increase for all personnel. It initially included five cruiser replacement purchases, but Capt. Jay Sheffer told the commissioners the request could drop to four as long as four cruisers will be included in the 2019 budget. Sheffer said the ideal rotation cycle is three replacement cruisers a year. Over the last several years, that has not happened because of the county’s budget crunch.
Funding requests for training, uniforms/clothing and equipment decreased slightly compared to 2017. Miscellaneous expenses and vehicle maintenance went up slightly.
The jail budget request of $2.945 million is about 4.3 percent more than 2017. It includes a 3 percent salary increase, filling a new jailer position and making the nurse a full-time rather than part-time position.
Shaffer said the nurse was contracted for through the Knox County Health Department. It was expanded to a full-time position during 2017 due to the increased number of inmates and extra duties added to the state jail standards.
“We should actually come out ahead this year because we will be paying her salary and benefits rather than contracting with the health department,” said Shaffer. “She’s actually picking up some of the duties the physician would have done in the past.”
To offset some of the cost, the inmate care budget request was reduced. Utility costs are expected to decrease by $25,000; contracted services with organizations such as Behavioral Healthcare Partners is expected to increase.
The prisoner transport budget remains the same as 2017 at $7,300. Shaffer said his office averages two juvenile transports a week; each transport takes about three hours. The KCSO provided 88 transports through November.
“Half of those required us to pull an officer from the jail, patrol or call in another officer,” said Shaffer.
