Monroe County sheriff’s officers can now receive additional compensation for their educational degrees.
The Monroe County commissioners last Wednesday approved the 2021 sheriff’s merit deputies contract. County attorney Jeff Cockerill said the agreement is for two years and final approval is contingent on county council action. The contract is between the county commissioners and merit deputies as part of the collective bargaining unit. Cockerill said about 33 officers are part of the collective bargaining unit.
Officers who attained higher education degrees can now be compensated for the achievement. According to the agreement, an officer with an associate’s degree will receive higher education pay of $500, $2,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $2,500 for a master’s degree per year.
This joins other incentive pay as part of the negotiated agreement, including shift bonuses of $70 and $80 per pay period for those working second and third shifts, respectively. Also deputies working as part of specialty units such as CIRT, dive, bicycle or accident reconstruction receive an additional $500.
Cockerill said another change is to the field training officer incentive pay. He said they are reducing the number of field training officers but increasing the amount per officer from previous contracts. The number of field training officers is not to exceed 10, according to the new contract, and they are to receive instructional pay of $1,000 per year.