Author’s note: I completed drafting this article four days prior to County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford’s unexpected death. As I wrote it, she was on my mind, as she always valued public safety and respected those doing its work. I believe her impact on all she served with or for will be a lasting one, and I offer my condolences to Mrs. Bedford’s family, friends, and colleagues.
North Carolina's state budget is in its final legislative stages, and it proposes historic pay raises for law enforcement. State correctional officers are expected to receive a 10.1% to 17.7% pay increase next year if the budget passes as it is currently written.
These increased salaries are overdue and much deserved, especially for employees serving in the state prisons, where staffing is down an average of 30%, and exceeds 60% in some facilities. Such low staffing is unsafe for prisoners and workers alike. But I want to make something clear. The state budget covers officers serving in state agencies (Alcohol Law Enforcement, Highway Patrol, State Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Adult Correction). It does not pay the salaries of deputy sheriffs, detention officers, or municipal police officers. These are funded locally.
In Orange County, as in most places, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) faced tough decisions this year as it worked toward adopting a final budget. It is perennially difficult to balance competing priorities, especially against the backdrop of reduced state and federal funding, but still, I think it is safe to say Commissioners faced extra challenges this budget season.
I am very pleased that despite the pressure of inflation and the high cost of living, the BOCC decided to leave our structured Step Pay Plan in place. First implemented in 2021, the plan values prior public safety experience. Those with specific certifications or relevant education earn more than the starting base pay of candidates just entering the field. It also creates a clear career path by hiring those without experience at a training rate, then increases their pay once they complete required certification courses and assume full duties. Finally, the plan provides guaranteed pay adjustments for continuing to serve at our Sheriff’s Office.
The structured plan reflects the reality that it is expensive to recruit, screen, hire, equip, and train deputies and detention officers. By the time we take the training wheels off, we have invested far more in the rider than we have in the bicycle. Without a Step Pay Plan providing predictable wage growth, Orange County detention officers may choose to take their skills and experience to the state prison system, and we risk losing deputies to the Highway Patrol, ALE and SBI.
Many people use the terms prison and jail interchangeably, but they have different functions. Prisons house those convicted of their crimes by the courts and given substantial sentences. County detention centers primarily house individuals awaiting trial or those convicted to serve very short sentences. Although their missions differ somewhat, detention officers and correctional officers face many of the same challenges and dangers.
I bring these details to your attention to highlight why I think the BOCC’s decision to keep the Step Pay Plan is such an important one. Our staffing levels are currently holding steady, but that stability can erode quickly if experienced employees leave for higher-paying opportunities. Proper staffing levels improve jail safety, reduce mistakes, escapes, and burn-out, all while protecting taxpayer investment.
I want the best and the brightest to wear the badge of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. I like to hire great people, train them appropriately, and reward their dedication. I do not want to lose them simply because another agency offers higher pay.
Funding community needs is not cheap. Few people welcome higher taxes, even when they support the services those funds provide. The public servants on the BOCC work hard year after year, continually striving to keep Orange County an exceptional place to live and a desirable place to work. They understand that if a county wants to be either, it needs to be both. My team and I want to publicly thank them for their hard work and ongoing support.
If you or someone you know is interested in a career of service, we invite you to explore opportunities with the Orange County Sheriff's Office. We are committed to hiring exceptional people, providing the best equipment, and supporting them throughout their careers.
