The gist
On April 23, Fort Bend County commissioners approved adding $440,782 to the fiscal year 2023-24 budget for detention personnel to alleviate the stress of mandatory overtime. Each detention personnel will receive an additional $110 per pay period, according to agenda documents.
Funding was originally intended to come from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, though commissioners tasked city staff with finding funds elsewhere, suggesting the FBCSO excess patrol budget.
Zooming in
With the high number of vacancies in the county, many FBCSO detention employees often have to work overtime, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said.
“These vacancies create a hardship on detention personnel in many ways,” Fagan said. “Working 16 hours on numerous days, not having work-life balance and missing out on family functions—all these sacrifices are made to help us not fall below the mandated ratio of one [deputy] per 48 [inmates].”
While other law enforcement agencies across the state and nation are facing shortages as well, Fagen said the sheriff's office has additional responsibilities that can stretch staffing thin, such as staffing bailiffs; the county court system; the detention center; and security for medical, psychological and other staff members who serve at the detention center.Fagan said they are beginning to see fatigue in officers, which can cause them to make mistakes.
Community Impact reached out to the FBCSO to gather more information about department vacancies, but a response wasn’t returned by press time.
Also of note
Beyond normal staffing shortages, Fagan said the sheriff’s office has seen a number of employee losses after the passage of House Bill 3 in the 88th Texas Legislature, which requires districts to add at least one armed security officer to all public and open-enrollment charter schools.
“To recruit potential ISD officers in this short period of time, the ISDs want to hire individuals that are already [Texas Commission on Law Enforcement] certified,” he said. “So, what do they do to do this? They offer $6-$7 an hour higher than other law enforcement agencies are able to pay.”
Fagan said the FCSCO is also having fewer applicants and more senior officers leaving for higher pay.
What’s next
The new supplemental pay will be effective April 27, according to agenda documents.
