Deputies hired by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and who leave within a certain amount of time after training may be required to reimburse training funds in a policy being considered by Sheriff Matt Hassel.
He told the Marshall County Council members on Monday morning that a deputy who went through the initial 14-week training period to work at the Sheriff’s Department is leaving after two years.
Sheriff Hassel commented that it’s pretty expensive to pay for an officer to go through 14 weeks of training and that a policy should be put in place similar to one enforced by the Bremen Police Department.
“At Bremen, we had a five-year reimbursement plan,” he explained. “If the officer left within that five years, depending on what year they were in, we collected a percentage of that back. It withheld court challenges.”
While the state-certified training for officers is paid for by the State of Indiana, Hassel said more and more costs have been put back on police agencies.
“Before long I’m getting bills that I have to pay for their firearm’s ammunition when they go down to qualify. Then I start getting bills to pay for their books. Within the last couple of years now they don’t even feed them supper so I have to either buy a supper plan for them or let them go out to eat every night and I have to reimburse them.”
Hassel said it can cost up to $4,000 in order for an officer to receive the state-certified training required and successfully complete to be on the police force. And that doesn’t include the officer’s salary.
Council Member Penny Lukenbill suggested that Sheriff Hassel discuss the proposed policy with the Merit Board. The council could then consider a recommendation from the board.
