Sheriff’s attorney presents case against county

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Attorney Joey Homans

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The dispute between Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson and the Board of Commissioners over the sheriff’s 2018 budget entered Senior Superior Court Judge Fred A. Bishop’s courtroom Tuesday. Attorney Joey Homans began by asking Bishop to order the county to provide a budget sufficient for the sheriff to perform the duties of his office.

Homans acknowledged the judge has the authority to order the county’s compliance but cannot decide a dollar amount to be awarded.

In his questioning of Johnson, Homans said the county reported the total amount approved to the sheriff was $9,564,324. However, he added, the sheriff did not have discretion over about $600,000 in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds or $260,000 in capital projects.

County Attorney Lynn Frey

In his cross examination of Johnson, County Attorney Lynn Frey elicited testimony that indicated only once since 2010 did the sheriff’s office have more than the current 112 employees. Johnson has often cited the growth in the county’s population as a reason he is requesting more funding, but when Frey asked if the sheriff knew how much population growth there has been, he could not answer.

County 911 Director Alisha Rucker testified there has been an increase in calls for service from 61,241 in 2015 to 65,96e in 2017. She also noted marked increases in reported assaults, domestic violence, child abuse, forgery and sexual battery.

Capt. Matt Hester, who supervises the Uniform Patrol Division, testified the shortage of personnel impacts his officers’ ability to enforce the laws and leads to them being more reactive rather than proactive. “With the current personnel we have,” Hester said, “we’re more in a reactive stance. They respond to calls for service and don’t have as much time to generate proactive activity. They go from call to call to call as opposed to looking for criminal activity.

Lt. Theresa Kirby, who works in the detention center, said the jail is currently allotted 37 positions but has only 33 and needs 57. She testified the division cannot afford to send officers for training.

The lone witness from outside the sheriff’s office was Bill Harkswell, coordinator of jail and court services for the Georgia Sheriff’s Association. Harkswell conducted an analysis of the sheriff’s office in 2014 and concluded that 139 employees were needed to adequately perform the duties at that time. The county currently has 112 employees.

Harkswell said he had 11 years of experience in analyzing staffing needs for sheriffs and that he had performed between 20 and 40 such analyses.

Frey asked how many times Harkswell had ever recommended a reduction in staff. Harkswell answered, “Never.”

The hearing will resume Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Homans said he has only one more witness to call before Frey begins his defense.

 

 

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