TULSA, Okla. — A new Oklahoma bill could be a game-changer for understaffed sheriff's departments across Oklahoma.
According to lawmakers, House Bill 4063 would raise yearly pay:
- Sheriff to at least $75,000
- Deputies to $45,000
- Jailers' to $40,000
The pay boost would be funded by a grant program.
Sheriff Scott Walton said its an urgent need in Rogers County.
"Talked to a man in a small town. He saw me at a fast food restaurant. He said that little girl that brought your food to you makes more than these deputies. I got to looking at that, and he was right," Walton said.
It's a similar story in Wagoner County, according to Sheriff Chris Elliott.
"We're having a hard time retaining and attracting good quality law enforcement officials because the market competition is so great out there," Elliott said.
"We're hoping that if we get this, it's gonna give us ability to apply for a grant each year that we can go in and inject that money into our Sheriff's Office, get those salary levels up to where we're competitive with everybody else in the state of Oklahoma," Elliott said.
Both sheriffs said the bills' pay bumps are key to building strong, effective teams.
"I want my deputies, my investigators, my employees, I want them to emotionally invest into this community. If I'm providing a high level of employment here in a good Sheriff's Office and very comparable pay and benefits, that's when they come and put down roots in our county," Elliott said.
"We can better serve the community. We can hire better people. We can do better. It takes money," Walton said.
The bill passed a Senate Committee on March 28 and now heads to Appropriations Committee.
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