April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Sheriff's department to test longer weekend shifts
In efforts to increase coverage on weekends, the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office will test 12-hour weekend shifts.
Beginning March 2015, and running for a three-month trial period, all Bartholomew County merit deputies will go to 12-hour weekend shifts.
Sheriff Matt Myers and his leadership team have been discussing ways to increase coverage on weekends and they are hopeful that 12-hour weekend shifts will place more deputies on the road, offer better service and protection to Bartholomew County residents and offer better backup for the safety of Bartholomew County Sheriff's deputies as well.
Currently, three merit deputies and one reserve deputy are on day shift on weekends, five merit deputies and one reserve deputy are on second shift and three merit deputies are on third shift.
The change will assign six merit deputies to each 12-hour weekend shifts.
At the end of this three-month trial period, the sheriff's scheduling committee will review the pros and cons of this change and will present their findings to Sheriff Myers. Sheriff Myers also welcomes comments and recommendations from his deputies regarding the 12-hour weekend shifts.
"Everyone knows that our budget is extremely tight and we have been discussing ways to improve the safety of our citizens and our deputies as well," said Myers. "I want to reemphasize, so that everyone is clear, this change in our weekend schedule does not mean that the Bartholomew County sheriff's Office will be increasing all shifts to 12-hour shifts", said Myers.
Myers added that the reserve deputy program is increasing its numbers of 'road qualified reserves' as well.
"However, our reserves are not full-time deputies," Myers said. "They are volunteers who have jobs and family commitments and we have to work around their schedules."
This three-month trial originated from Maj. Gary Myers, the department's jail commander, who placed jail employees on 12-hour shifts about 8 years ago to improve jail staffing.
"Maj. Myers and Capt. Steinkoenig have been discussing ways that we can increase manpower on weekends and I would like to thank them for 'thinking outside the box' and finding a potential solution," Sheriff Myers said.[[In-content Ad]]
