‘This will rehydrate us’: new sheriff operations bills to support Oklahoma departments

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) – New legislation passed in May will give sheriff departments across the state a chance to apply for grant money which may be extremely beneficial for smaller departments.

Oklahoma lawmakers created House Bill 2914, otherwise known as the ‘Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office Funding Assistance Program’, which will offer state sheriff offices a grant to use for operational costs.

”I think this is a thumbs up,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Jeremie Wilson. “It’s a support. It’s kind of like when you’re dehydrated and you get an IV and they rehydrate you. This is gonna rehydrate us.”

Though the grant money can not go directly towards salary increases, the bill will offer departments the chance to rearrange funds with some of that money freeing up for salaries.

”Essentially will help some of the poorest counties in Oklahoma be able to properly compensate and pay sheriff deputies in those counties,” said one of the bill’s co-authors District 62 representative, Trey Caldwell. “We’ve seen time and time again in.. surrounding Lawton Counties where they couldn’t even pay a living wage to sheriff deputies.”

Representative Caldwell said in counties like Tillman, Sheriff Deputies make roughly $20,000 a year. Low pay is something Sheriff Wilson said his department also goes through.

”Right now we’re the fifth poorest county in Oklahoma. So, with that, the commissioners and I, we work close together. We try to obtain the best law enforcement presence that we can but funding drives everything.”

With a tight budget, Sheriff Wilson said he’s experienced problems with retention on an already small force. He hopes this bill will fix that, giving citizens a better peace of mind.

”At any one time there may be only one deputy on duty and covering that vast territory,” Rep. Caldwell said. “Just trying to make sure that we can kind of help them meet those needs, because those constituents deserve to have a safe and prosperous environment as well.”

Sheriff Wilson added the state’s support doesn’t go unnoticed.

“This is a way that the state is gonna help us. I took it as a ‘thank you’ and ‘keep up the good work’,” he said.

The bill will issue funds in a hierarchy system. There are three tiers, arranged to give poorer counties more money:

“$150,000 for a county in the lower 26 counties ranked by gross assessed total tangible property value,”

“250,000 for a county ranked higher than 26 but lower than 53…”

“300,000 for a county ranked equal to or greater than 53..”

In a statement sent to 7News, State Appropriations and Budget Chair, Kevin Wallace said in part quote:

“County sheriffs provide numerous services throughout the state, including ensuring our citizens’ safety. Helping counties with the means to recruit and retain sheriffs will provide better protection for all Oklahomans.”

You can read the rest of that statement at the bottom of this article.

The bill will become active on July 1.

FULL STATEMENT:

“County sheriffs provide numerous services throughout the state, including ensuring our citizens’ safety. Helping counties with the means to recruit and retain sheriffs will provide better protection for all Oklahomans. The current base salary for a county sheriff is $19,000, which is abysmally low in today’s economy. Raising the base to $44,000 better compensates these officials for the many services they provide and will also allow an increase in deputy pay. While I and many others would prefer the base to be higher, this is the amount we were able to negotiate with our Senate budget partners. This funding for sheriff’s pay could also help offset the costs of other areas of local government within counties.”

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