The Pierce County Sheriff Department went looking for new officers Jan. 24, offering hiring bonuses for potential jailers as part of a recruitment pitch.
Over the course of a hiring workshop lasting three and a half hours at the county jail in Tacoma, prospective applicants for corrections and patrol deputy positions were given a jail tour, time for questions and answers, tips for dressing for success, and mock oral boards.
New hiring incentives this year include a $1,500 payment in two installments to entry-level jail deputies and $2,500 to more experienced corrections officers. Also new this year is a minimum age of 20 for jail officers, officials said.
In a separate program, Pierce County employees can receive a $500 payment for referring applicants who become a Sheriff Department corrections or patrol deputy.
The current jail staff of about 300 includes officers who are paid approximately $54,000 to $70,000 a year. Another 300 officers, with annual salaries ranging from about $61,000 to $92,000, serve in law enforcement.
Sheriff Paul Pastor has said his department is undermanned and has urged the county executive and County Council to increase funding to hire more deputies.
Last year, in the preparation of county government’s 2018 budget, Pastor requested but didn’t get funding to hire 13 more deputies for patrol and other law enforcement duties.
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