JONESBORO, Ga. — Clayton County Commissioners approved more than $3 million to hire almost three dozen new sheriff deputies Tuesday evening.
Newly elected Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen told commissioners he needs more deputies due to the rapidly growing county.
Allen asked the board for $2.7 million to hire 25 deputies, but Commissioner Felicia Franklin made a motion to provide $3.6 million to hire 33 deputies. It will cost taxpayers $110,301 per deputy, and that includes the cost for salary, benefits, and most of their vehicles.
Franklin's motion passed with a 3-2 vote. Chairman Jeffrey Turner and Commissioner DeMont Davis voted against it.
“We value our safety, the safety of our citizens," Turner said, adding he voted against approving the new funding because the county is already in the red.
“In June, we’re going to have to come up with another $3 million, add it to the budget, and try to balance it, which means some of the requests from the other departments will have to be cut," Turner said.
This isn't the only Clayton County law enforcement agency facing a major officer shortage. 11Alive collected data from the Clayton County Police Department and the county's six municipal police departments, which shows Clayton County has more than 100 vacant sworn positions. Here's what we found:
- Clayton County Police should have 390 sworn positions but are 64 short.
- Forest Park Police should have 95 sworn positions but are 24 short.
- Lake City Police should have 17 sworn positions but are two short.
- Lovejoy Police should have 22 sworn positions but are one short.
- Jonesboro Police should have 27 sworn positions but are eight short.
- Morrow Police are short officers but didn't want to say how many.
- Riverdale Police should have 50 sworn positions but are 17 short.
Forest Park Police Chief Brandon Criss said departments being short-staffed comes with several challenges.
“It hurts morale first and foremost, because now officers are having to do double the work for the amount of pay that they make, so that also increases response time," Criss said.
He added his department offers incentives, certifications, and education to attract new officers, but it's still a challenge.
“Due to some of the controversial incidents that have happened within law enforcement, a lot of millennials no longer want to be the police," Criss said.
Other Metro Atlanta communities pay sworn law enforcement more money, and Criss said that's another reason why it can be hard to recruit.
“It's kind of a bidding war," Criss said. "Who pays the most is where typically the officers go.”
The Forest Park Police Department will hold a job fair on May 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Forest Park Recreational Center at 803 Forest Parkway. Click here for more information.
"What I do see is Forest Park being fully staffed in the next 100 days," Criss said. "We're probably the best agency as it relates to incentives in Clayton County, but we also are the best agency as it relates to morale and equipment."