PKG | Salary comparisons among 4State sheriffs' deputies
JEFFERSON COUNTY, W.Va. -- According to Corporal Brandon Haynes with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, his childhood teachers would be shocked to know he proudly chose a career in law enforcement.
"[I] had quite a few run-ins with law enforcement officers as I was coming through my teenage years,” said Haynes, who told WHAG he chose a career in law enforcement because of compassionate officers. “A couple of them that took care of me and kind of changed my view on everything.”
Because of a retirement, Haynes and three coworkers were promoted Wednesday morning.
Sheriff Pete Dougherty said he's lucky to only have one vacant position available, since he lost deputies to higher paying departments nearby.
"The reason Jefferson County [has] a fairly competitive pay structure is because we were losing people both to federal service and law enforcement that was paying at a higher rate," Dougherty told WHAG from his office, shortly after the swearing-in ceremony.
Dougherty said he’s had to compete with Loudoun County in particular, where he said starting deputies make about $10,000 more than those in Jefferson. (According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, deputies can make a starting salary anywhere from $41,885 to $56,654.)
"I know we have at least 20 or more Loudoun County deputies who live in Jefferson County,” Dougherty said. “On any given day, you can go up to the little convenience store before you come across the state line and see all kinds of Loudoun County deputy cars there. That's because they don't let their deputies…take [their cars] out of state."
Deputies starting in Berkeley County make less than those in Jefferson, but Berkeley County has approximately 60 officers on their payroll, versus the 27 officers in Jefferson County.
Washington County deputies start at $38,141 and Clarke County deputies start at $37,400. However, officials in both departments said they lose more people to retirement than higher paying jobs. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia starts their deputies out at $36,800 a year.
Haynes didn’t have a complaint about Jefferson County’s competitive salary for deputies. However, he said he boils down his reason for staying in Jefferson County to one thing: “It's the sense of community that's here,” he told WHAG, shortly after his promotion ceremony. “This county has been very good to me. There are a lot of great people in this county, and they are very appreciative of what we do."
“I mean me, personally, I actually took a pay cut to come here when I first started,” said Haynes, proving that there are some things money just can't buy.
Editor’s note: On Wednesday morning, Lt. Victor Lupis, who has served 13 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, was promoted from sergeant.
Sgt. Kevin Boyce, who has served 12 years with the JCSD, was promoted from corporal.
Cpl. Joseph Forman, who has served nine years with the JCSD, was promoted from deputy first-class.
Cpl. Brandon Haynes, has also served nine years with the JCSD, and was also promoted from deputy first-class.