Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel told the county commissioners last week that he’s spoken to the Merit Board about a four-year reimbursement agreement with new employees concerning training expenses.
“They think that’s a great idea,” said Sheriff Hassel. “It costs so much money to get a brand new person trained. We’re competing against Plymouth, State Police, and Bremen City Police. They all pay more than we do. I gotta have something there to hold them – at least get four years out of them before they run off to another department.”
Hassel said when he first started as a law enforcement officer, the outlook on being employed with a department was a lot different.
“Things are different today. When I got hired on at my department we were committed to that department. We stayed there. We felt ownership. I think today they’re looking for the best deal and I can’t really blame them for that.”
Commissioner Mike Delp questioned whether or not a commitment would deter applicants, but Hassel said that wasn’t the case at the Bremen Police Department.
“If they leave in the first year, they pay 100 percent, second year 75 percent, third year 50 percent, and fourth year 25 percent.
Hassel said he will give a copy of Bremen’s agreement to County Attorney Jim Clevenger to customize it to suit the county’s needs. It will then be presented for approval.
