HR panel approves captain's position

The county's Human Resources Committee on Tuesday approved the creation of one new captain's position for the Garland County Sheriff's Department and a raise for the chief deputy.

The recommendation will go before the Finance Committee and the Garland County Quorum Court next month.

A request for the creation of a new captain of services position was tabled Tuesday.

The flow chart addition of a captain of operations, and services captain, that Sheriff Mike McCormick requested would give the agency four captains. Two captains currently oversee the criminal investigation and patrol divisions. Former Hot Springs Police Chief Gary Ashcraft was recently brought in to head CID, and the previous CID captain, Shelby Terry, is now patrol captain.

McCormick said Monday that Ashcraft is serving as CID captain but is technically an investigator until his captaincy is formally approved. He said the new captain positions have yet to be filled.

"I don't want to get into names," he said. "I want to get the positions approved and then make the proper determination of who it should be," said McCormick, noting that much of the reorganization he campaigned on can be done administratively and without the consent of the county's legislative body. "I just want to get the positions created."

A captain of operations overseeing services at the new detention center was contemplated during its development, McCormick said, explaining that as the detention center nears completion it's become apparent that the correctional and service demands of the facility are too onerous for one uniformed administrator.

Capt. Ronnie Branstetter will be security director at the detention center, following the chief deputy of corrections, Capt. Mark Chamberlain, in the chain of command. He's paid a base salary of $60,995, according to budget figures the quorum court approved last year.

"As we're getting closer to the opening of the jail, it's become clear the one captain would be overwhelmed," McCormick said. "It was talked about early on, but it was decided not to create it. Time has shown there's more duties than the one captain can handle."

The services captain, if eventually approved, will be the liaison between the sheriff and numerous department operations, including search and rescue, marine and mounted patrols, the dive and tactical response teams and the reserve program. The position will also direct training for all department divisions, including the detention center, and manage internal affairs for the detention and patrol divisions.

McCormick said lower-ranking supervisors had previously managed those units. Bringing them under the oversight of one commander will improve accountability, he said, adding that strengthening the reserve program is foremost among his priorities.

He wants to double the more than a dozen reserves currently in the program, which uses volunteer deputies certified to accompany shift supervisors on patrol calls or work in other department areas. The added manpower is in keeping with another campaign pledge to raise the department's profile during late hours when as few as four deputies patrol the county.

"They can work in the jail, marine patrol, dispatch -- all aspects of the department on a voluntary level," McCormick said. "It's a huge, untapped resource. I'd like to see the number double in the next years."

The committee approved a new title for Chief Dep. Jason Lawrence and an attendant $5,000 salary increase. McCormick said Lawrence's rebranding to Chief Deputy of Enforcement doesn't add to his job description but reflects his qualifications and credentials. According to budget numbers, the quorum court approved a $52,397 base salary for the chief deputy position.

"The qualifications of Chief Lawrence were so much higher than what the previous chief deputy had," McCormick said. "He has a master's of business administration. To attract and justly compensate a qualified individual, I felt like an increase in salary from what the previous chief deputy made was justified.

"The qualifications he has and what he brings to the department, it more than justifies the increase we're requesting."

Local on 01/28/2015

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