CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office are appreciative of the Kanawha County Commission for recently approving pay raises for deputies and hope the action may attract and retain deputies.
On Aug. 11, the commission approved a $5,000 pay increase for the county’s sheriff’s deputies. Commissioners and sheriff’s office representatives have met in recent weeks to discuss ways to attract deputies and increase pay since employment numbers have been declining.
Joe Crawford, Kanawha County Chief Deputy told 580-WCHS accepted a recent sheriff’s office proposal.
“We were able to compile data and do research and be able to make the proposal to them. This keeps us at the top as far as pay and benefits,” Crawford said.
According to Crawford, the wages of Kanawha County deputies currently range from $40,000 to $50,000 per year. He said that will go up $5,000 per year now plus the sheriff’s office will have a $15,000 signing bonus.
Crawford said his office needs to find ways to attract law enforcement offices because it is facing 21 potential retirements in the next three years. There are 104 deputies in Kanawha County, the maximum allowed.
In an entry-level testing event on Aug. 13 at South Charleston High School, Crawford said only 11 of the 24 applicants showed up. He said out of the 11 applicants, eight passed the physical test and the sheriff’s office is awaiting written test scores.
In 2007, Crawford said the sheriff’s office almost had 200 people taking the entry-level testing per event.