WILL ENABLE 3RD DEPUTY, 24-HOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, SAYS JUDGE
In the 88th Legislature in 2023, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spearheaded an initiative that ultimately became a law to supplement law enforcement in counties with populations of less of than 300,000 with grants to help sheriffs and prosecutors’ offices fund salaries and equipment. The initiative is known as SB22, or Senate Bill 22.
On Monday, in its regular monthly session, the Dickens County commissioners court voted 3-2 to accept an SB22 grant of $250,000.
Those voting to accept the grant were County Judge Kevin Brendle, Charlie Morris and Greg Arnold. Those against were Mike Smith and Dennis Wyatt.
According to Judge Brendle a prerequisite of receiving the grant is that first, the salaries of the county sheriff, deputies and jailer/dispatchers must all meet the state minimum. The Dickens commission had already taken the initiative through budgeting to have the deputies’ salaries meet the state minimum, which is $45,000 and to have the dispatchers/ jailers’ salaries meet the state minimum, which is $40,000. By accepting SB22, the county will have to raise the salary of the position of Dickens County Sheriff by approximately $19,000 to meet the state minimum of $75,000, a figure that will incur proportional increases in retirement and FICA.
According to Brendle, the remaining funds will go to hire a third deputy, and to buy two additional vehicles for the sheriff’s department which will have on-board cameras and computers. The funding will also purchase body cameras for officers.
“With this funding, we’ll be able to have 24-hour law enforcement,” Brendle said.
In opposing acceptance of the grant, commissioner Dennis Wyatt said during the meeting, “I am concerned that this is just another unfunded mandate, and we will have to cover these expenses when the grant goes away.”
According to Brendle, in his conversions with the lieutenant governor and legislators the plans are for SB22 to exist “into perpetuity and for it to never go away.”
When asked if he had heard if other counties had turned down the SB22 money, Brendle said that “some have, because of politics and personal issues.” When asked if any counties in this area had refused the grants, he said, “None that I have heard of.”
The county may be able to receive the funds from the state as soon as April 1.
