Clark asks for 15% increase in SO budget

Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark is seeking a 15% increase in his budget with plans for pay raises, additional staff and equipment purchases

Clark submitted his proposed Fiscal 2022 budgets for the Sheriff’s Department and the Neshoba County Detention Center (see related story) during last the July 6 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Clark’s budget request for the Sheriff’s Office totals $1,744,822, a $255,420 increase when compared to the current budget of $1,489,402.

Clark’s new budget calls for a 50 cents per hour raise for all employees in the Sheriff’s Office.

Clark is also asking for two additional employees: a narcotics officer and another patrol deputy. He also recommended putting the chief investigator and fire investigator on salary.

When explaining the need for another narcotics officers, Clark said, “In the past nine months, we have made 617 drug-related arrests charges. We have sent 87 crystal-like substance submissions to the Mississippi Crime Lab for analysis.”

As for the additional patrol deputy position, Clark said two patrol deputies are on each shift now to cover 570 square miles and to protect 30,000 people in Neshoba County.

Clark said the county has paid out 1,298 hours in overtime in the past nine months.

“So far this year, we have spent around $47,000 on overtime,” Clark said. “We spent $42,000 on overtime all of the last fiscal year.

“I am monitoring the overtime, but if someone is out because of sickness, vacation or going to training, someone has to come in and work. And that is done on overtime. The additional manpower would cut down on overtime,” he said.

Clark is also requesting three new SUVs for the department. He said he would like to do that annually to keep the department’s fleet of vehicles up-to-date.

In addition, the sheriff asks that each sheriff's department vehicle be equipped with onboard computers if federal relief money allows. He is asking for 10 new tasers to replaced outdated equipment which is now in use.

“Our goal is to present a reasonable budget proposal needed to carry out the powers, duties and daily operations of the sheriff’s office,” Clark said in a press release. “Public safety is the top priority of any government and our goal as the sheriff’s office is to recruit, train and retain the best deputies we can. We must provide them with the equipment needed to protect themselves.”