LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana sheriff said he needs more money to pay deputies and fund school resource officers. But the county council unanimously rejected his request.

Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin spoke to councilmembers Tuesday evening. He said his department has some of the lowest salaries in the state, leading to a staff shortage. The shortage is so bad, he said, he may have to pull SROs from schools so he has enough deputies on the streets.

When Goodin was called up to the Council's table, Councilman J.R. Ward said he was going first. He proceeded to read a statement on behalf of the Council, explaining why they were rejecting the funding request.

Ward started with addressing the economic reality for the county.

"We all started this budget process with about $1.9 million in the red," said Ward.

The councilman said county population growth is slow, health insurance costs are high, and they've had to take a look at cuts in many county departments. Then, he turned to address Goodin's staffing issue.

"When Sheriff Goodin took office, he walked into a fully-staffed, fully-funded, police department," Ward said. "Since then, 22 police employees have left for one reason or another. And I can tell you this, this was not all due to pay nor did they leave for higher positions."

"Every single person that we've lost at the sheriff's office, that we didn't want to lose, OK, they left because of higher paid, better jobs," said Goodin. 

Twelve minutes after Goodin began pleading his case, a councilman cut him off to call for a vote. After chants of "let him speak" from the audience, the six members of the Scott County Council made a unanimous decision to not give raises to deputies.

"I have been defunded," Goodin said. "They have cut my budget."

"He was letting the community know how serious it is on his manpower, and he needed help. But nobody's there to listen," said Marcella Campbell, who supports pay raises for deputies.

April Stutsman has a child at one of the schools Goodin said may lose an SRO. She worries that kids are getting caught in the middle of the bickering.

"Regardless of pointing fingers and whose problem it is, I really don't care," said Stutsman. "Because all I care about is the safety of our children and our staff."

The Council president said their proposed budget does fully fund the county-paid portion for SROs. While they are considering raises for county workers, they are smaller than the sheriff said is needed.

Before leaving the county courthouse, a school board member told Goodin she hopes they can work together, asking for a "reasonable amount of time" if pulling SRO's is necessary to make patrols.

"We're on the same page as them, absolutely. We have the same goals and that's to keep the school resource officers there. It's that simple, absolutely.  I'm right on board with the school board," Goodin said.

Related Stories:

Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.