CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is searching for applicants to potentially wear the badge.
Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford appeared recently on 580-LIVE to discuss the recruitment efforts of the office (KCSO). Rutherford said they have a couple of positions needed to be filled and have several retirements coming up into the new year.
Rutherford, who was first elected as sheriff in 2004, said law enforcement is a gratifying and rewarding field.
“You go out here and help people, which is what we want to do. You see and are involved in things in this job that the average person would never see or be involved within their life. It’s very interesting and helpful to the people in your communities,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford said a sheriff in their first year traditionally makes between $51,000 to $53,000 annually. Certified police officers and those with experience at the academy could make up to $59,000 annually in their first year at KCSO.
The sheriff also said the county has shown strong support for KCSO, including a $5,000 raise for all uniformed deputies in the past year. He said at KCSO, a deputy can retire at age 50 with 20 years of service.
“You look around the country and see some areas that are not public safety-minded, very much the opposite. We are fortunate here to have good people that care about public safety,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford said he’s spent 50 years in law enforcement.