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July 20, 2012

County hires first of new sheriff's deputies

By Keith Gushard The Washington Post

Crawford County commissioners have hired the first of an anticipated three full-time sheriff’s deputies to increase security at the courthouse in Meadville.

Commissioners voted 3-0 Thursday to create a new deputy position and hire Jeff LeGuard to fill the post, effective Aug. 6. LeGuard will be paid $14.75 per hour followed by $15 per hour following a 90-day probationary period per the county’s union contract with its deputies.

LeGuard, who has been a sergeant with Meadville Police Department, was hired off an eligibility list publicly filed by county Sheriff Nick Hoke. With more than 20 years service, LeGuard has announced his intentions to retire soon from the Meadville force, but he won’t be eligible to receive pension benefits until he turns age 50, in about a year, said City Manager Joe Chriest.

Earlier this year, county commissioners and Sheriff Hoke agreed that an additional three full-time deputies will be required to replace the four part-time metal detector screeners at the courthouse’s main entrance.

On July 5, commissioners agreed to turn over security of the entrance to the courthouse to the county sheriff’s office. The four part-time metal detector screeners have been under the control of the commissioners’ office. Commissioners agreed to hire three deputies as part of a 90-day plan for the sheriff’s office to update security rules and procedures at county-owned buildings.

The current complement at the sheriff’s department, not including Hoke, totals six uniformed deputies and one part-time deputy. The security plan will raise the number of full-time deputies to nine.

Each of the additional three deputies will cost the county approximately $70,475 a year — or about $211,425 more in personnel costs to the sheriff’s office.

That’s based on a higher hourly rate of $15 per hour for full-time deputies as opposed to $12.45 per hour for part-time metal detector operators; and additional health care and life insurance costs.

The two additional deputies are anticipated to be hired by the county in the coming weeks.



Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.

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