The state Department of Law Enforcement says low pay is a primary concern amid its 28% vacancy rate, and is hoping for new legislation to combat it.
There are 136 vacant positions for DLE sheriffs and investigators out of the 490 authorized jobs, department officials told lawmakers Tuesday during budget briefings ahead of the legislative session.
“Next year I’ll probably be hoping that someone will introduce some type of parity bill,” said state Director of Law Enforcement Mike Lambert. “What that would do is, instead of increasing their pay, which could hurt overtime calculations, they get a $15,000 flat match every year.”…