Price tag for raising sheriff’s deputy pay

There’s now a price tag for raising the starting pay for Oconee County deputies.  At a committee meeting, County Administrator Scott Moulder announced almost $1 million will be needed to boost the starting pay for deputies by $4 thousand a year.  Sheriff Mike Crenshaw has complained to County Council that his office is losing officers to nearby municipal police departments who pay more.  Council Chairman Wayne McCall believes that because of the number of complaints he gets about crime taxpayers would support paying more for county law enforcement.  But District Five’s Reg Dexter is unconvinced.  Dexter last night said, “If people in this county believe there is runaway crime, let them come to us and tell us.  We’re willing to pay more.”