Ripley County, IN — The Ripley County Sheriff says residents can expect to see fewer deputies on patrol and says county leaders have failed to address salary issues.
Rob Bradley says his office is facing a staffing crisis due to a wide disparity in salaries compared to surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Bradley says they can’t compete when a 20-year Ripley County deputy makes less than a new recruit at a local police department.
“My top priority is public safety, and I need deputies to get the job done,” Bradley said.
In the coming months, Bradley says the county’s 30,000-plus residents face the possibility of just six deputies on patrol covering more than 440 square miles.
“That’s a 50 percent reduction in deputy patrols over our normal staffing levels. This could result in between four and 10 hours a day in which no deputies are on patrol in Ripley County,” he said.
“Soon after I was sworn in this January, I urged our county leaders to narrow this longstanding salary gap,” Bradley said. “But the needs of our deputies and the safety of our community went ignored.
WRBI has contacted Ripley County Councilmembers for comment but as of Tuesday morning has not received a response.
“In the last six months, we lost a deputy to the Indiana Gaming Commission, he received a $27,000 pay increase. We have lost two deputies, including our K-9 handler, to the Batesville Police Department, where they each received an $11,000 pay increase. We lost a new deputy hire this month to the Greensburg Police Department, over $8,000 in salary, benefits, and promotional opportunities,” he added. “Further, there is one current deputy who is in the hiring process for Indiana State Police to be decided in May. These are just a few of many examples in recent months and years.”
Bradley says the prospect of portions of the day where there are no deputies on patrol is unacceptable to the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are working with our partners in law enforcement to find a stop-gap solution. We are seeking assistance from the Indiana State Police to fill this patrol shortage, but they are also stretched thin as they provide mutual aid to other agencies,” Bradley said.
“I urge the people of this community we serve to make their voices heard to the County Council,” said Bradley. ”I hope that our county leaders will act and allow this office to offer competitive compensation for new hires and even recover some of the fine men and women we lost to this long-neglected issue.”
The next Ripley County Council meeting is scheduled for March 20 at 6 pm at the Ripley County Courthouse Annex in Versailles.
