CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Bradley County Sheriff Jim Ruth on Friday proposed to the County Commission’s finance committee a career ladder development program for his department.
Ruth made the proposal as the committee met to review Mayor D. Gary Davis’ proposed 2011-12 county budget.
“This is something that is a priority for me,” Ruth said. “Our No. 1 priority is to retain good, professional law enforcement officers.”
He suggested the first phase of the program could be paid for by reductions in some categories of the department’s proposed budget and moving money in some line items. Among other savings measures, Ruth said, is a plan not to assign take-home patrol cars to first-year deputies. They would ride with a seasoned officer for that year and be assigned to cars from the motor pool.
The career ladder pay idea was endorsed earlier by the county’s law enforcement committee and referred to the finance committee. Finance committee members and Davis said Friday it’s a good idea.