Sheriffs department seeking part time deputies

The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office says it would cut costs by converting two full-time deputy positions to four part-time positions, but inaction by the county’s personnel board is holding it up.

Sheriff Todd Entrekin sent a letter to the board last week, asking it to designate a separate classification for part-time deputy positions such as school resource officers and judicial security. Entrekin said the job descriptions will remain the same.

The concept, he said, is to have the positions available to replace one or more currently approved and budgeted full-time positions as the need arises.

The personnel board took no action at its meeting last week, and Chief Deputy Michael Barton told the Etowah County Commission during Tuesday’s work session he isn’t sure why.

Personnel Director Cassie Harp told Barton during the work session that the board had “two very valid reasons,” one being that some of the positions are paid through a grant and the other that the request comes during the middle of the budget year.

The personnel board is responsible for creating any new positions or changes in structure, but has no role in the budget or hiring or firing practices.

Barton said the sheriff’s office explained to the personnel board its plans to request a modification in the grant, and that the action actually would put more officers in those positions. It also explained that the funds for any changes were in the budget.

The change would save the sheriff’s department about $10,000 a year, and possibly more, and have more officers working more hours.