COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

                                                                    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BACKGROUND:

During this year’s budget review, the Commonwealth’s Attorney requested that the Board of Supervisors consider a supplement to the State established salary for the position.  In addition, the Sheriff had submitted a request for the same consideration in his budget submittal.  After discussion, the Board directed staff to review compensation in other localities for the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Sheriff and Clerk of the Court and report back with the findings. 

STRAGEGIC PLAN:

Goal 4.1:  Provide effective, responsive and courteous services to our customer

Goal 4.1:  Fund County services in a fair, efficient manner and improve needed public facilities and infrastructure.

DISCUSSION:

Each Constitutional Officer agreed to conduct the research of other localities and provide that information to the County Executive’s Office for review.  The attached information includes data regarding the compensation provided by other localities to their Sheriff.  Unfortunately, no other Counties in Virginia have a Sheriff’s Office without primary law enforcement duties and jail responsibilities in the population range 70,000 – 99,999, (Albemarle is 88,400).  The following counties are the ones in addition to Albemarle that have no primary law enforcement and jail, but do Civil Process and Court Security: 

1.       James City County - population 52,000, does prisoner and mental transports, does not supplement the Sheriff’s salary of $69,150.  They are not an accredited office. 

2.       Prince George County - population 30,000, does not do prisoner or mental transports, does supplement the Sheriff’s salary of $62,234 by $12,000 to $74,234.  They are  not an accredited office.

3.       Prince William County - population 332,000, does prisoner and mental transports, does supplement the Sheriff’s salary of $100,933 by $19,000 to $119,933.  They are an accredited office.

Virginia City Sheriff’s without primary law enforcement and jails in a comparable population range of Albemarle with court Security and Civil Process:

1.       Charlottesville - population 40,000, does prisoner and mental transports, has no juvenile and domestic relations court security, does supplement the sheriff’s salary of $69,150 by $7,593 to $76,743.  They are not an accredited office. 

2.       Colonial Heights - population 30,000, does prisoner and mental transports, does supplement the sheriff’s salary of $62,234 by $1,500 to $63,734. They are not an accredited office. 

3.       Suffolk - population 72,700, does not transport prisoners, does transport mental patients, does supplement the sheriff’s salary of $76,834 by $7,655 to $84,489.  They are not an accredited office.

In addition to the information above the Sheriff felt it was important to share the following information about the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office:

·         One of only 50 state accredited law enforcement agencies in Virginia. 

·         Responsible for the transportation of all juveniles and adults for two jurisdictions related to Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, both Charlottesville and Albemarle with a combined population of over 128,400 people.  Also, the off ice provides for the safety and security of two J&D courts three judges and a makeshift courthouse. 

·         Operated by certified law enforcement deputies with advanced certification in civil process and courtroom security, no other law enforcement agency in the region has that amount of certification. 

·         Sponsoring a 50 member, all volunteer Reserve deputy program to complement other local, state and federal agencies. 

·         Sponsoring a 70 member state certified all volunteer Search and Rescue team. 

·         The authorized agency for “Project Lifesaver” to locate electronically lost persons suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, Downs Syndrome, Autism. 

·         Providing life saving use and training for defibrillators in the court rooms and in the community

·         Doing “Crime Prevention Through Education” in the Charlottesville Albemarle community

Many other community oriented programs and complementing the law enforcement efforts of the Albemarle, Charlottesville and UVa. police as well as state and federal agencies.                

RECOMMENDATION:

Based on staff’s understanding of the Board’s intent to supplement the salary of Constitutional Officers’ and the data provided by the Sheriff in the enclosed attachment, the Board of Supervisors may wish to consider a supplement to the Sheriff of $ 5,748 retroactive to July 1, 2004 (to be consistent with the supplement provided to the Commonwealth’s Attorney).  As the information enclosed indicates, the State is due to provide an additional $4,320 increase to the Sheriff effective December 1, 2004.  Your approval of this consent agenda item would authorize this supplement and that the funding be taken from the Board reserve.

ATTACHMENTS:  Sheriff's Compensation
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