Gwinnett.talk

By alan

March 7, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

I believe that deputies should make the same as the police officers. They are in many of the same situations I’m sure, as the police. It makes no sense not to pay them the same.

By BobG

March 7, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Actually, Alan, the jobs are different; they are not in ‘many of the same situations.’

In addition, there are many more factors that go into establishing base pay than just job duties. For example, if the county has a greater need for police officers, a pay differential could be warranted. If, for any reason, the supply of qualified candidates is lower for police than for deputies, a higher initial salary would be appropriate. If the county requires a higher education or experience level, a difference would be in order. Finally, competition in the marketplace may require a higher starting pay for one as opposed to the other.

In other words, the issue cannot be so easily distilled into a simple comparison of job duties.

By rob

March 7, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this

They all just don’t make enough money for the job they do!…

By des

March 7, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Interesting comments bobg, but a load of crap. I don’t see county officers earning their money. If you would empty the office at HQ there would not be a big need for more officers.

By BH

March 7, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

Police officers and deputy sheriffs face many simialr situations. I know, because I have been both a poice officer and a deputy sheriff. I was in law enforcement in metro Atlanta for 30 years. Both jobs are tough, and both are dangerous. In worst case scenarios, in either role, a law enforcement officer is just as dead whether his badge said police officer or deputy sheriff.

On the street, police officers frequently do not know who the bad guys are. Fortunately, usually there’s just a few of them in any situation. In a jail setting, deputy sheriffs know who the bad guys are. Usually, the deputy faces 30 - 60 of them at a time, by himself. Hopefully, none of them are armed, but then, neither is the deputy.

Police departments are very fortunate that they can defer tasks they do not want to handle to the sheriff’s office. After all, the state constitution tells the sheriffs what their responsibilities are, and they cannot duck them, but the police department can.

Police officers respond to crimes, sometimes violent crimes, in progress, but so do deputy sheriffs. Deputies are required by law to execute probate orders removing violent, armed mental patients from their homes and transporting them to mental hospitals. The law does not require that of police officers. The law requires that deputy sheriffs to execute family violence retraining orders evicting violent, armed perpetrators of acts of family violence from their homes, telling the individual they cannot live there anymore, but they are required to still make the mortgage payments. In either scenario, the deputy will be the target of resistance.

Working in a jail takes a very special type of person. Surrounded by criminals, greatly outnumbered, deputies are exposed to violence and the possibility of physical harm at least as often, if not more often, than police officers. On the street, police officers can usually obtain compliance by offering to arrest the non-compliant. Deputies working in a jail don’t have that card to play.

Having done both jobs, I daresay that few, if any, police officers would agree to work in a jail at starting deputy pay. I have heard many police officers say that you couldn’t pay them enough to work in a jail. To state that a police officer’s service, or a police officer’s life is more valuable than a deputy’s, or that it takes less skill to work in a jail is naive, at best, and insulting to the honorable men and women who choose to work for a sheriff’s office. I challenge anyone who disagrees to accept employment in a jail for a minimum of 2 years at the pay offered.

By irishcopper

March 7, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this

I totally agree with the comments of Bob G. Using his logic, he makes several excellent points as to why deputies should possibly make MORE than police officers. Reread his comments and simply insert deputy, where he writes police and you will see exactly what I mean.

By Bayonet 6/7

March 7, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this

Why not combine the Departments?

By HM

March 7, 2007 5:36 PM | Link to this

I would like to know why Comer doesn’t listen to the Grand Jury? They are the citizens of Gwinnett County and they have a right to make recommendations.

How many times has he visited the jail? Does he really understand the job of a Deputy Sheriff? Would he be willing to serve a warrant on a fugitive or work intake searching inmates for the salary he is willing to pay them?

By Bill Wright II

March 7, 2007 8:49 PM | Link to this

My first question really is why to we have Gwinnett Police and Sheriffs deputies? We may need the man power, but we don’t need two management groups!

If they are both doing the same job then they should be paid the same?

Make one group

By justin

March 7, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this

Why is Mike Comer,assnt administrator, being quoted on not agreeing with the grand jury anyway? I would think this would be an issue for the County Commissioners. Where are they? Surely, they approved the change in the pay to begin with? Or, maybe not.

By GCSO vs GCPD

March 7, 2007 9:20 PM | Link to this

It appears that Comer believes, from his comments, that a Police Officer is worth more than a Deputy Sheriff. What he does not understand is that all of Gwinnett County Police Detectives and SWAT Team, including most of their specialized units have to be deputized by the Sheriff to properly do their job. A County Police Officer only has jurisdiction within the geographic boundaries of Gwinnett County. Since, in most cases criminals travel outside the boundaries of Gwinnett County these individuals need the ability to make arrest in other jurisdictions and can only be done by being deputized. Ask Comer if these individuals would be willing to reduce their pay by $2000 since legally they are deputy sheriffs accourding to state law.

By Jesse B

March 7, 2007 11:35 PM | Link to this

If these are the same deputies in this video, then I would encourage such an increase, as it may mean the department would be able to hire deputies less likely to kill inmates they are responsible for.

By jim d

March 8, 2007 6:55 AM | Link to this

BobG,

Bob, using the factors you present in calculating base pay for a law enforcement officers would lead one to the conclusion that School resource officers should be low man on the totem pole, yet they are paid more.—Hmm?

By Kay

March 8, 2007 8:05 AM | Link to this

Jesse- Have you ever been in that situation? I would bet not. I have been, and you don’t know what is going on with someone like him. They didn’t know his background, they have drunks come in like that EVERY night. They have to subdue them the best way possible, at the time they are confronted with the situation. They don’t have time to ask him to tea. They know the circumstances of him fighting with the officers on the road, and that he is still acting out upon entry at the jail. That is the extent of the knowledge they have of him. I am sorry this man lost his life, but that is NOT the fault of the police, sheriff’s department or anyone else. I would say that police and deputies should make the same amount. They both are law enforcement. The deputies don’t answer 911 calls, sure, but they do have to deal with fighting inmates, inmates who don’t care what they do or who they do it too. Just this week they had two incidents where deputies were attacked. You heard about them in the news. The job of deputy is just as dangerous as a police officer. If Mr. Comer would think about it, he may reconsider. Who is the defense line at GJAC? The police? The phone lady? NOPE, the deputies. ANd they will lay down their life for him or anyone else in that facility to keep them safe. They work to keep the building as safe as possible, being diligent and observant of all.

With the ignorance of folks like BOBG, Jesse and Mr. Comer, it is no wonder deputies get forgotten when it comes to pay raises. What a shame.

By BobG

March 8, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this

Again, Jim D, you point out yet another reason why the issue of pay isn’t as simple as comparing job duties. Add “the largesse of the employer” to my list of variables.

To everyone else, if you re-read my first comment you will see that I didn’t say whether one should be paid more than the other, or that they should be paid more or less. Like one of the commenters, I have been in law enforcement; even undercover drug enforcement. But I wouldn’t work in the jail these days for almost any amount of money. And serving warrants can be extremely dangerous.

My point was that the issue isn’t as simple as some would like to make it.

By des

March 8, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

In regard to combining the two, it would take an act of the legislature to do away with the sheriff’s office. I say we get rid of the county police because they are underworked, overpaid and generallly lethargic to what is going on.

By Beth Wall

March 8, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Kay, I watched the video. If you are saying it takes 11 deputies to restrain a man already strapped to a chair, pleading for his life? Why is this not the fault of “the police, sheriff’s department, or anyone”? They executed him on video. You can see that. Anyone can. Well, anyone except the grand jury, to whom the video withheld. And yes, I just saw a deputy was bitten this week after tasering an inmate. Police are on the street and get shot at, not bitten. How can you compare the two?

By Kay

March 8, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this

Beth- Mr. Williams was not restrained or strapped in the chair as you put it. He was clearly bucking upward and you can CLEARLY hear deputies saying, stop resisiting several times. He was not being much of a deacon or a “normal” acting person per se, when he fought the officers on scene, took the officer’s baton, and broke his nose. So don’t tell me that this is the fault of deputies or any law enforcement officer. We may never know what caused his reactions, but in order to subdue an out of control inmate, the deputies did the best that they could.

And not the same as a gun huh? Well let’s think about that statement. Did you know that inmates have all day to think about how they are going to get ahead in jail? Not ahead in the business world, but the jail world. They make their own weapons, from toothbrushes, combs, plastic cups,etc. What do they make? A shank. That can and is probably more deadly than a gun shot at times. You can sometimes dodge a bullet, but not a knife in close quarters. And let’s not forget the inmates with infectious diseases, who will bite a deputy or another inmate, spit, throw urine, feces etc at the deputies, not caring if they are infected or not. Not the same. your right, It’s worse. You have no idea how it feels to have urine thrown in your face, I would be willing to bet. Or get in a fight with an inmate with AIDS and having to then go to the doctor every 3 months for blood test.

And the most recent taser? That came after he was choking the deputy and biting him. Just FYI. Another tool that helps subdue inmates.

Oh and did I mention that this sounds like it was in an attempt to protect a civilian nurse…..