Jennifer Sutcliffe
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Expansion at the Gwinnett County jail, an increasing county population and vacancies created by retirements have left the county sheriff’s and police departments needing about 100 new recruits.
And they’re willing to pay extra.
New pay incentives should bring in better qualified officers and help retain personnel, said Lt. Pat Cronin, commander of the Professional Standards Unit at the Police Department.
The departments are offering a 3 percent incentive for officers with an associate’s degree and 6 percent for a bachelor’s degree. Officers with advanced or management certifications are also eligible for a pay incentive.
Some current employees also will be eligible for the incentives, the departments said.
The incentives will be advertised at a job fair for the sheriff’s office Saturday. The fair, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be held at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center.
The Police Department plans to hold a separate job fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 22.
Sgt. Don Bassett of the Sheriff’s Department Professional Standards Unit said the department needs 36 deputies, primarily because of an expansion of the county jail expected to open in the fall.
Cronin said the police have 60 to 70 positions to fill.
“We’re not getting as many applicants as we used to,” Cronin said. “And as the county grows, we need more and more positions.”
June 16, 2006