Chambers County working to increase pay for sheriff’s deputies

CHAMBERS COUNTY, Ala. (WTVM) - The Chambers County Sheriff is working to get his deputies more money.

This comes after some deputies took jobs at other law enforcement agencies for higher pay.

Sheriff Sid Lockhart says the Chambers County Commission is working with a company to study the wages of Chambers County deputies compared to agencies in other cities and counties. Lockhart says he has about four deputies looking for jobs at other agencies because of the pay.

“It’s a tough job,” said Lockhart. “It takes a tough person. You have to be dedicated. It hurts when you lose some of these officers. They’re like family. We’re a close-knit group of people. You hate to see them go.”

According to Lockhart, pay for deputies starts at around $15 an hour, for people who haven’t gone to the police academy, and pay goes up based on experience. He says he would like for the pay to be close to $20 or $21 and hour.

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