Ripley County Residents to See Fewer Deputies on Patrol

The deputy shortage is due to a wide disparagement in law enforcement salaries.

Shutterstock photo.

(Ripley County, Ind.) - The Ripley County Sheriff’s Office faces a staffing crisis that our county leaders have neglected for decades. The root of that crisis is a wide disparagement in law enforcement salaries, as seen in Ripley County compared to surrounding agencies.

“We simply cannot compete when a 20-year veteran deputy in this Office makes less than a fresh recruit at a local police department,” said Sheriff Rob Bradley, “my top priority is public safety, and I need deputies to get the job done.”

In the coming months, this Office and the county’s residents face the grim prospect of having just six deputies on patrol to cover more than 440 square miles in service to more than 30-thousand residents. That’s a 50 percent reduction in deputy patrols over our normal staffing levels. This could result in between 4 and 10 hours a day in which no deputies are on patrol in Ripley County.

“Soon after I was sworn in this January, I urged our county leaders to narrow this longstanding salary gap,” said Sheriff Bradley,” but the needs of our deputies and the safety of our community went ignored.”

In the last six months, we lost a deputy to the Indiana Gaming Commission, he received a $27,000 pay increase. We have lost two deputies, including our K-9 handler, to Batesville PD, where they each received an $11,000 pay increase. We lost a new deputy hire this month to Greensburg PD, over $8000 in salary, benefits, and promotional opportunities. Further, there is one current deputy who is in the hiring process for the ISP to be decided in May. These are just a few of many examples in recent months and years.

The prospect of portions of the day where no deputies are on patrol is unacceptable to the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office. We are working with our partners in law enforcement to find a stop-gap solution. We are seeking assistance from the Indiana State Police to fill this patrol shortage, but they are also stretched thin as they provide mutual aid to other agencies.

“I urge the people of this community we serve to make their voices heard to the County Council,” said Sheriff Bradley,” I hope that our County leaders will act and allow this office to offer competitive compensation for new hires and even recover some of the fine men and women we lost to this long-neglected issue.”

The next Council Meeting is March 20 at 6:00 PM at the County Annex Building in Versailles.