The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office is experiencing shortages in its detention staff for the county jail.
“The staffing at the sheriff’s office in the past five years has never been like it is now; it’s never been this drastic,” Sheriff Eric Fagan said.
Although entities across Fort Bend County have experienced these shortages—including the Sugar Land and Missouri City police departments—Fulshear Police Department officials said they haven’t seen the effects of the shortages.
“We've successfully maintained a strong and dedicated team, which is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of our community,” officials said in an Aug. 14 email. “We feel that once the current six openings are filled, we will be fully staffed.”
Police base pay in Fulshear ranges from $68,075 to $74,408 annually, which is in the top percentage for the region, officials said. Although this doesn’t include the mandatory four-hour overtime that officers work to complete 12-hour shifts.
Community Impact reached out to the city of Katy for information on police department staffing, but it was not returned ahead of press time.
Zooming in
The FBCSO’s shortages have caused employees to work mandatory overtime hours, including an extra shift, to ensure the jail is meeting its state-mandated staffing, Fagan said.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the state’s regulatory agency, requires a staffing ratio of 1 staff member for every 48 inmates. The county’s staffing rate supports 578 inmates, although the inmate population fluctuates between 900-950, FBCSO Assistant Chief Deputy Manuel Zamora said.
To reduce the stress of overtime on employees, FBCSO officials asked Fort Bend County commissioners to either:
- Increase detention staff pay and benefits by 11% to 15%
- Enter into an agreement with a private correctional facility to manage 322 inmates for a three-year period for $10.57 million per year
Zooming out
Law enforcement nationwide saw 50% more resignations, a 20% spike in retirements and a 5% drop in the number of sworn officers from 2019 to 2022, according to a survey by the Police Executive Research Forum, a police research and policy nonprofit.
Tyler Owen, social media and communications manager for the Texas Municipal Police Association, said he believes this is a result of fewer recruits and more officers leaving the field due to low pay, and negative public perception of officers.
Looking ahead
FBCSO has increased its recruitment efforts to fill rosters by attending more career fairs as well as looking into developing an early-start program for high schoolers who want to be a jailer or telecommunicator, Zamora said.
Additionally, officials announced in a Sept. 16 news release the FBCSO will host a hiring event on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy, located at 1521 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond.
"We are facing staffing shortages, and it is vital that we fill these vacancies to maintain the high level of service and safety the Fort Bend County community expects and deserves," Fagan said. "This hiring event will help ensure we have the personnel needed to continue our efforts to protect and serve."
