JONESBORO, Ark. — Craighead County officials are considering a proposed ordinance aimed at retaining sheriff's deputies by offering incremental pay raises every five years.
Under the proposal, certified law enforcement officers employed as deputy sheriffs with the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office would receive $500 for each year of service, to be added to their annual salaries in five-year increments. These payments would be made at the discretion of the sheriff on the employee’s anniversary date.
Any break or lapse in employment would reset the schedule, meaning rehired deputies would restart the accrual process.
The ordinance, according to the drafted language, is designed to protect the county’s investment in deputies’ training and education while addressing retention issues. Sheriff Marty Boyd noted the first year of this initiative would cost the county approximately $65,000.
Boyd emphasized that the measure would help the department stay competitive with hiring incentives offered by nearby agencies, such as the Jonesboro Police Department and Arkansas State Police, both of which provide significant pay incentives to attract officers.
The ordinance passed the Public Service Committee on Oct. 12 and is set to be reviewed by the full Quorum Court at an upcoming meeting.
No timeline for the Quorum Court decision has been announced.