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Summit County Sheriff Requesting Funding For Four New Positions

Summit County Sheriff's Office

Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez is scheduled to present his department’s budget to County Council on November 19th.

The County Manager’s recommendation to the council calls for two more patrol officers. The Sheriff said he needs more positions than that for the near future, but at this point, he just wants to start a conversation about his priorities.

While the proposed 2019 budget is considering two more positions for the department, Sheriff Martinez said he wants 10 more people—though he always knew he wouldn’t get that this year.

“We have not had a new, in the law enforcement side of the house since I’ve been sheriff and probably even going back to when Edmunds was the sheriff in 2008. We have not had a new full-time employee in patrol for about the past 10 plus years. I started doing some research and throughout my research I determined that we are woefully understaffed. Compared to national averages, compared to Park City I look at my staffing levels and not having any new full-time employees knowing that I wouldn’t get all 10. That’s not fair for me to come into the county and say I need 10 people, but I want to start having the conversation.”

He noted that the county Budget Committee had recommended four new positions.

“The budget committee recommended four and then it was eventually cut to two. Part of the process is that I now get to go before the council and ask them to reinstate those other two to have total of four to start me off. Then move in the direction over the years, two next year, four next years whatever it may be and continue to get up to the numbers that we need to be that is a national standard. A new patrol, we’re talking uniform, bullet-proof vest, weapons, cars, benefits. Average is about $125,000 per officer. So, for two you’re looking at $250,000.”

Sheriff Martinez said he needs to grow his department, considering that call volume has increased exponentially.

“Since I’ve been the sheriff, I just did a four-year study, it’s gone up 18% every year for the past four years. So, our call volume is increasing without having any more additional resources. That now obviously creates a situation where they’re being overburdened with calls. I don’t ever want to become a reactive law enforcement agency, I always want to stay proactive. I feel that if we continue with this trend what’s going to happen is that there’s going to be so much call volume that the deputies are going to be—all their going to do is go to a call, take the report, go to a call, take the report, go home. There’ll be no more proactive law enforcement. No more community centric, no more working within the neighborhoods.”

He said some additional staff he needs include a full-time evidence technician.

“Our evidence, as more calls come in, more evidence is collected. We’ve got one evidence technician, right now we have a part-timer I’d like to bring that part-timer up to a full-time. I’ve asked for another working inmate program deputy to go out and help with the nonprofits in the community to go out help striping the roads, sidewalks and so forth. I’ve asked for another investigator. I’ve asked for another justice reinvestment initiative. Basically, a county probation officer. We have two of them right now and they are wildly successful in holding people accountable. Holding people that are on probation that are in drug court. We have one of the highest successive rates of people graduating drug court in Summit County because of these two deputies.”

Known for getting all the facts right, as well as his distinctive sign-off, Rick covered Summit County meetings and issues for 35 years on KPCW. He now heads the Friday Film Review team.
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