Russell County Sheriff Derek Polston asked the fiscal court to consider implementing hazardous duty retirement for sheriff’s deputies and consider a pay raise as well.
Moving to hazardous duty retirement would increase retirement costs to the county by nearly 19 percent.
Polston said he sees this as a needed move with several other surrounding departments providing hazardous duty retirement, including sheriff’s departments in Adair, Casey, Pulaski, Wayne, Taylor, Marion and Boyle counties. The Russell Springs Police Department also offers hazardous duty retirement, as do city police agencies in other areas such as Columbia.
Polston also said he’d like to see the deputies receive a pay raise. Adair County recently approved a new pay scale for employees and Casey County is reportedly looking at raising pay as well.
Here is what Polston had to say to WJRS News about the issue following the meeting.
The fiscal court tabled the matter for now, citing a need for more information and numbers before making a decision.
WJRS News also caught up with Judge Executive Randy Marcum to talk about the issue.
Stay tuned to WJRS News for more from the Russell County Fiscal Court.
