Community Impact reports that on March 4th a night command division for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was created by Montgomery County commissioners. The command would provide countywide overnight management for deputies.
The request was presented by newly elected sheriff Wesley Doolittle to commissioners. The cost breakdown of the $802,148 necessary for the changes include:
$615,875 to create an overnight command division
$66,273 for hiring an executive assistant
$120,000 for rebranding supplies
Following two months of assessment, Dolittle said the request is to “help supervise the 300-plus employees that we have over 1,000 square miles in Montgomery County at nighttime.”
Additional oversight for overnight on-duty deputies would necessitate hiring a captain and two lieutenants. “Rebranding” would involve business cards, materials and items to be updated with the new administrations names and priorities.
The county did not have enough funds at the time of the request, according to Budget Director Amanda Carter, so she recommended only allocating $60,000 for rebranding.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler offered to throw in $15,000 from his budget to help take care of the additional $60,000. The money was supported by each commissioner.
So funding was approved by commissioners of $742,148 from the county’s contingency fund. Additionally four commissioners donated $15,000 each to pay the amount in full.
