Sheriff’s Top Brass Granted Big Pay Raises

More than three dozen sheriff’s supervisors, including several nearing retirement, received hefty salary increases--as much as $16,000 in one instance--under a new pay and reorganization plan approved unanimously Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.

A total of 33 lieutenants were reclassified as captains and given a 5% raise. In addition, some of their annual vacation credits--which they previously had the option of cashing out--were eliminated and instead folded into their base salaries as part of the new pay package.

Combined, these actions boosted their base salaries from $73,060 to $82,238, officials said. This is on top of the more than $8,000 added to their base salaries in the last five months through other pay adjustments.

For those nearing retirement, Tuesday’s action will mean larger pension checks.

Sheriff Larry Carpenter said he sought the salary changes as a way to bring his top-ranking managers in line with counterparts in other jurisdictions. He said his department, which is shielded from budget cuts, could pick up the cost of the salary increases and the nearly $1 million in increased payments to the county’s pension fund without any additional help from the county.

In other areas of the department, 13 upper-level managers, who have also seen their base salaries grow substantially in recent months, were granted a 2% pay increase. Vacation credits were also tucked into their base salaries.

The result was that salaries for commanders rose by $10,381, chief deputy sheriffs by $14,302 and the undersheriff by $16,000.

The pay increases have added significance for managers in the Sheriff’s Department, considering that their retirement benefits are calculated in part by the base salary they were making the last year on the job.

Law enforcement personnel can retire after 20 years of service. Of the 46 employees who received pay increases, 28 have been with the Sheriff’s Department for more than two decades, according to county records.

As an example of how much the raises can affect retirement benefits, consider Undersheriff Richard Bryce’s pay:

Bryce started the year with a base salary of $85,150. But in February he received a 3% cost-of-living raise granted to all county managers. He also had his longevity pay--annual cash bonuses based on years of service--folded into his salary.

This brought Bryce’s base salary to $94,282. With the additional 2% pay increase granted Tuesday and vacation credits rolled into his salary, his base pay is now $110,032.

If he retired tomorrow as a 30-year department veteran, Bryce would receive 78.5% of his current base salary in retirement benefits.

Bryce could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Sheriff Larry Carpenter said the raises were long overdue, however, telling the board that his managers’ base salaries have lagged far behind lower-ranking personnel over the last 10 years.

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A parity study presented to the board Tuesday showed the difference in top salary between lieutenants and sergeants had shrunk during this period from 34.7% to 12%.

Furthermore, Carpenter said, the responsibilities of his top staff often exceed those of similar ranking officials in other jurisdictions. For example, three lieutenants serve as chiefs of police in three contract cities, while others manage jail operations and countywide patrols.

Carpenter told the board that even though some benefits, such as longevity pay and vacation credits, are now included in the base salaries of managers that they would be entitled to this money anyway as cash bonuses.

“It’s important that everyone realize that this does not change their compensation for the year,” he said. But, Carpenter added, “it does add to retirement costs because it does increase retirement benefits.”

The pay raises granted Tuesday will cost an extra $277,041 this fiscal year and $290,893 in the 1997-98 fiscal year, Carpenter said. The raises will also cost $925,000 in additional retirement expenses.

The Sheriff’s Department will pick up the extra costs for the pay raises for at least the next two years and all retirement expenses, Carpenter said.

“I will absorb the cost for the [pay raises] the first two years until we see what kind of shape the county is in,” he said. “The costs out of our $115-million budget would not be outrageously difficult to deal with.”

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Supervisor John Flynn said he believed that the pay increases were justified because of the nature of the job of law enforcement.

“These people carry considerable responsibilities, and they work with life and death situations all the time,” he said. “They are our front-line leaders of all of our 1,200 deputies, so they’ve got a big job. And I think if you want the best people you’ve got to pay for that.”

It remains unclear, however, whether the Sheriff’s Department or the county general fund would pick up the costs for the pay raises in the future.

“I don’t think the sheriff is glued to picking up the costs for two years,” Flynn said. “It could go on longer than that.”

Also Tuesday, the board granted a 7% pay raise to five managers in the Corrections Services Agency. Their pay will go from $64,198 to $68,692.

The pay raise will cost $47,359 for the current fiscal year and another $86,500 in retirement costs. Both costs will be picked up by Corrections Services Agency, which like the Sheriff’s Department is protected from budget cuts.

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Law Enforcement Salary Increases

With new raises approved Tuesday, top Ventura County law enforcement officers will see their salaries climb significantly.

SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

Captains

Positions: 33

Base salary: $65,973

With Feb. pay raise*: $73,060

With new pay raise**: $82,238

Cumulative increase: 24.6%

Commanders

Positions: 8

Base salary: $71,942

With Feb. pay raise*: $79,657

With new pay raise**: $90,038

Cumulative increase: 25.1%

Chief Deputies

Positions: 4

Base salary: $77,324

With Feb. pay raise*: $85,616

With new pay raise**: $99,918

Cumulative increase: 29.2%

Undersheriff

Positions: 1

Base salary: $85,150

With Feb. pay raise: $94,282

With new pay raise: $110,032

Cumulative increase: 29.2%

CORRECTIONS SERVICES

Managers

Positions: 5

Base salary: $62,270

With Feb. pay raise: $64,198 *

With new pay raise: $68,692 **

Cumulative increase: 10.3%

* This includes a 3% cost-of-living raise. Also includes longevity bonuses--annual cash credits based on years of service--folded into base salaries.

** This includes a 5% raise for captains and a 2% increase for commanders, chief deputy sheriffs and the undersheriff. Also includes some annual vacation credits folded into base salaries.

Source: Auditor-Controller and Human Resources Departments