LAWRENCE COUNTY - SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 - The Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham presented his 2023 Budget to the Lawrence County Council members Tuesday night.
Lawrence County Sheriff's Department responded to a recent traffic accident on State Road 58 near Heltonville recently
The main budget areas presented on Tuesday night covered the sheriff's department budget, dispatch budget, jail and public safety. The total budget requests from all four budget's total $5,804,726. This was a $202,000 budget increase from the original proposed budget presented earlier from the start of the 2023 budget hearings.
The next, Lawrence County Sheriff will have a salary increase of $113,000 in 2023, which is 70 percent of the Prosecutor's salary which is set by Indiana legislators.
The sheriff oversees 25 deputies, which all have take home vehicles, and this year's budget included a 5 percent pay increase, with incremental pay for some.
This year's budget included the purchase of three police cars. One of the department's new vehicles was totaled in a car/deer accident recently. Branham told the council members that the $34,826 will not completely purchase or equip a police vehicle now, which costs around $50,000.
The sheriff's told council members that he has hired Tiger Services, to help with meal preparations. (See related story) This will help free up correctional officers which he says the department is still down six correctional officers.
The department has faced staffing issues both in the jail and with the dispatch center with a high turnover rate over the last year. The sheriff cut approximately $120,000 from the budget in an effort to reduce some expenditures. However, the increase and an accounting error have increased the total budget for 2023 another $202,000.
Proposed 2023 Budget -
Sheriff Budget - $1,613,856
Lawrence County Central Dispatch - $631,257
Jail - $2,202,000
Public Safety - $1,357,613
Total Budget - $5,804,726
Statewide 911 - $1,029,548 this was increase of $518,779.
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