Sampson County sheriff says deputies leaving for higher pay in neighboring counties

Sampson County’s 963 square miles make it the largest in the state.

Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said the safety of residents is in jeopardy because deputies are leaving their jobs for higher-paying jobs in neighboring counties.

The sheriff’s office is short 15 deputies and 8 detention officers.

“I had one [law enforcement] officer to leave here to go to the Clinton Police Department,” Thornton said. “They paid him right at $5,000 a year more.

“The police department is only four miles from here."

A year and a half ago, Sampson County leaders raised the salaries of county employees. It included a 15% raise for deputies and a 20% raise for detention officers.

“We met those needs at the time, but it seems to be a moving target,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Jerol Kivett.

Thornton said salaries are always moving targets in today’s work environment for law enforcement officers. He said he must be creative to compete with other counties that offer law enforcement officers higher starting salaries.

“In fact, the only individuals we've been able to hire in the last four or five months have been those that have been retired from other state law enforcement agencies,” Thornton said.

The county has ordered a market salary study to determine if the sheriff's office needs more money to be competitive in hiring new deputies.

Kivett said the Board of Commissioners plans to get an update during the April 3 meeting.

“We will use that in establishing our budget, which starts in the fiscal year in July,” Kivett said.

'We don't have enough deputies on duty': Sampson County sheriff voices concerns over staffing shortages

Thornton says he needs swift, decisive action from the county leadership to stop the law enforcement officers he has from leaving.

"The county is hanging on this hope of the pay study, and wanting to wait to do everything until that study is completed,” Thornton said. “Well, I can't wait for that pay study.”

On Monday, Ezekil Harris applied for a Sampson County sheriff’s deputy vacancy as he finishes up his basic law enforcement course in Wayne County.

“It's a passion [I] had since I was a kid,” Harris said. “[It’s] just something I want to do. I just feel like helping other people who can't help themselves."

Thornton said if the county would agree to house federal prisoners, he could raise money to provide deputies with the higher salaries they seek.