WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS APPROVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR PEACE OFFICERS
Washington County has approved a program designed to provide incentives for local law enforcement and corrections officers and improve officer retention.
Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday approved a policy for Washington County Law Enforcement and Corrections relating to additional pay for peace officer certification. The purpose of the Washington County Proficiency Certificate and Incentive Pay (PCIP) program is to set incentives for current and incoming officers, with the intent of improving retention rates and incentivizing employees to achieve additional proficiencies that will enhance the workforce.
The program pays $1,800 per year for Master Peace Officer/Jailer Certification, $1,200 per year for Advanced Certification, and $600 per year for Intermediate Certification. It also pays $500 per year for Certified Mental Health Officers (MHO). Patrol and transport deputies and jailors who may qualify for Peace or Corrections Officer and MHO PCIP can receive benefits for both. Payment will be issued in a lump sum at the first scheduled payday in December.
To be eligible for the program, officers must have an active peace officer or corrections officer license and meet the requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). They must also be a full-time employee of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and/or Constable’s Office, and must hold or receive their certification by November 1st of the calendar year payment is given. The MHO program is only for patrol and transport deputies and corrections officers with the Sheriff’s Office.
Commissioner Candice Bullock said this program has been in the works for about a year and a half, adding that the county did budget for a program similar to this in last year’s budget. She said non-elected officials in the Sheriff’s and Constable’s Offices will immediately be eligible for program benefits, but elected officials in those offices will not be able to receive benefits until next year. Bullock said the reason for this is because the county is required to publicly post the salaries of elected officials each budget cycle, and the county did not know what those salaries would be with the new compensation plan.
Bullock said this program will address the “really high turnover” with patrol deputies and jailors. She said programs like this have also been offered with the Brenham Police Department and Blinn College, so she believes this program will give the county “an opportunity to be more competitive” in attracting and retaining officers. She said she is “ecstatic” the county was able to achieve this with the full support of the commissioners court.