Despite being almost at constant loggerheads with the Augusta Commission over budget matters, Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree is using every last dime available to him to keep cops on their beats and guards at the jail.
Currently, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is down 153 deputies, according to data supplied by Interim Augusta City Administrator Takiyah Douse. As of Nov. 3, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office had 40 open positions.
Roundtree is not only using every opportunity to recruit, he is also attempting to stem the tide of resignations by offering double time pay in certain instances, according to spokesperson Lt. Kimberly Lee.
The change was implemented in August of 2022. According to Lee, the double time pay initiative will continue through 2022. Bi-weekly payroll for the Sheriff’s Office has swelled from just under $1.5 million per pay period in August to $1.75 million in November, according to records obtained via an open records request.
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“The double pay applies to Deputies that work additional shifts aside from the regular duty in division where there is a need. This could be at the detention center, CID or Field Operations,” Lee replied in an email.
District 10 Commissioner John Clarke says he supports the Sheriff’s “proactivity” and says the Augusta Commission needs to do more to help law enforcement.
Recently, the commission approved 140 additional flock cameras, but Clarke says that is not nearly enough. According to Clarke, the cameras are effective at alerting law enforcement to criminal activity, but there still needs to be a human nearby to make an arrest.
Clarke says he has advocated repeatedly to increase the sheriff’s budget, but his suggestions continue to fall on deaf ears.
“The pay for Richmond County deputies is grossly inadequate, and the other commissioners say the sheriff has so many open positions that he doesn’t need any more money. But lack of funding is precisely why (Roundtree) can’t pay to fill those positions,” Clarke said.
According to Clarke, Augusta commissioners always point out that the current pay offered in Richmond County is commiserate with what is paid in Columbia and Burke Counties, but comparing Richmond County to nearby counties is comparing apples to oranges.
“You can’t compare them at all. When was the last time a Columbia County Deputy was shot in the face responding to a minor disturbance call?” Clarke said.
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Clarke also says that the judicial system and the district attorney, Jared Williams, are part of the problem when it comes to law enforcement morale. Williams, a former defense attorney, has faced criticism from numerous corners for allowing felons out on the street, many of whom are barely out of jail when they commit another crime, Clarke said.
“These officers are serving warrants and arresting people only to see them released before the paperwork is even complete,” Clarke said.
Sheriff’s offices across the nation continue to face severe staffing shortages, with some departments reaching critical levels. The situation is so dire in some cities that recruiters are having to lower their standards to have a basic police presence in the streets. New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson recently announced his department would be hiring civilians for patrols and investigations.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
