As Sheriff, one of my goals will be to provide a livable wage and benefits for my deputies. Right now, the Sheriff's Department does not provide insurance or retirement for employees. This makes it difficult to recruit and retain employees without basic needs being met. By researching and working with partners in the community and around the State, I want to find the best way to provide these crucial benefits to the people that work at the Sheriff's Department. By providing for our Deputies, the Sheriff's Department will be able to have better recruitment opportunities. Interest in a career in Law Enforcement is very low right now, and we must be competitive in our approach to those that are interested in becoming police officers.
For the deputies that currently work at the Sheriff's Department and those that join us down the road, I want to provide them with opportunities to get training that will help us improve our response to the needs of the community. With better training, we are better equipped to help keep Addison County safe and an enjoyable place to live and work. We have a responsibility to continue to learn and get better at our jobs to effectively respond when we are needed. Through more and better training opportunities, we can become a better Police Agency.
How this was fulfilled -
Through the work done as part of the Vermont Sheriff's Association, we have begun providing a retirement program for Deputies at the Department. This allows us to help our employees build toward the future and provide them with a better opportunity by working here.
We have also provided many opportunities for training, and Deputies have taken advantage of chances to focus on what interests them. As we continue to grow and improve, I hope to continue to provide my Deputies with chances to pursue what interests them.