CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman County Commission met with Sheriff Matt Gentry Tuesday morning during its work session prior to the regular commission meeting to discuss possible changes to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office’s (CCSO) FY2020 budget.
Gentry explained different ways the CCSO hopes to attract and maintain deputies and other staff.
“Across the nation, law enforcement applications are down 63%. It’s really a struggle across even our community and within driving range for law enforcement officers. One of the things we are going to ask for is that all of our employees go from Tier 2 to Tier 1. I think that will help with the retention of our employees,” he said.
Gentry said he will likely ask for a flat increase of $2.10 per hour for starting pay.
“That’s just to be competitive with our surrounding communities,” said Gentry. “Additional employees, for the things we are facing today in society, you can see the need for our community to fill those and those are the things we are looking for going into this fiscal year with those adjustments.”
According to Gentry, the City of Cullman adjusted last year’s budget and added additional incentives in its pay structure for the Cullman Police Department (The City did this for all employees permanently assigned to night shift only, including wastewater treatment operators.) Last week, the City of Hanceville also approved a new pay structure and raises for its employees, with the largest increase going Hanceville Police officers. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) also made recent adjustments to incentivize and recruit officers.
Gentry said, “It’s just something we face across the board. We are just trying to add some longevity and stability to those positions.”
The CCSO is currently short-staffed with eight open positions.
Gentry added, “We are responsible for not only the safety of our community, but for the housing of 300-plus people a day. It’s a different element that we operate 24/7, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We have to have that tool of recruitment.”
Commission Chairman Kenneth Walker asked Gentry to formally submit his proposal and said the commission would discuss it in depth at that time.
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