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Sheriff's department gets $1 million plus from feds |
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
Department to hire five new employees, purchase equipment
BY JAMIE HENNEMAN
S-E Staff Reporter
The Stevens County Sheriff's Department has been awarded over $1 million in grant money from the federal government last month as part of a federal Recovery Act program dubbed the “Assistance to Combat Crime and Drugs.”
The $1,007,345 in grant monies are a “positive step,” according to Stevens County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff, LaVonne Webb.
“This money allows us to recover positions we have lost in the past due to budget cuts and is a positive step for local law enforcement,” she said.
The money will go to hire three new Stevens County Deputy Sheriffs and purchase all of the equipment related to the positions, including patrol cars. The federal dollars will also allow the department to hire two new records officer/crime analysis clerks.
The total sum from the federal government is expected to last for two years, at which time the county will have to fund the recovered positions. With the 2010 Stevens County budget currently under discussion, that deadline will likely weigh in on budget planning decisions.
Currently, the total projected cost for the sheriff's department for 2010 logs in at $3.3 million dollars, not counting the jail, which is projected to cost the county $928,329.
Webb said in projecting budget costs, the department does its best to calculate expenses, including the unpredictable amount of overtime hours that may be needed to work on a major crime.
“We try and factor all of our costs, including manpower,” she said. “A tremendous amount of our expense is in overtime hours, especially if the number of major crimes rises. But if there are fewer major crimes, we can lower our overall cost.”
Major crimes for 2009 have not taken a significant leap from previous years, however, the figures are still serious. According to Sheriff's department records, there have been 240 assaults, 174 burglaries, 268 thefts, and 51 motor vehicle theft incidents. The department has also been called to respond to 17 rape incidents, one robbery and a recent homicide in Marcus.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 October 2009 )
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