Russell County Sheriff Derek Polston made a presentation to the Russell County Fiscal Court at today’s meeting, asking for the court to consider hazardous duty retirement and a pay raise.
The request comes nearly a month after Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Phipps lost his life in the line of duty.
Polston said the deputies with the sheriff’s office put their life on the line every day they come into work, and believes the hazardous duty retirement is needed. Hazardous duty retirement would be an increase of almost 19 percent from what the county currently contributes.
Polston also said many other neighboring departments offer hazardous duty retirement, along with higher pay, and he hopes changes on those two issues will allow the department to retain its current deputies and attract new deputies.
The court was receptive to Polston’s request, but magistrates said they’d like to see some numbers on what implementing hazardous duty retirement would cost the county.
A proposal could come as early as next month’s fiscal court meeting.
