Kootenai County Deputy Ron Broesch drives his cruiser while on patrol Tuesday in Coeur d’Alene. (SR photo: Tyler Tjomsland)

Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Broesch has seen most of the guys hired along with him leave for better pay at other law enforcement agencies in the region. And Broesch admits he too has been tempted to make the jump. Patrol deputies can earn from $5 to $15 an hour more with the Coeur d’Alene or Spokane police departments or the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Benefits like insurance coverage are better, too, Broesch said. “The pull of Spokane city and Spokane County, it’s very persuasive,” said Broesch, who patrols the Hayden area. Alarmed by the high turnover, Kootenai County officials gave 110 sheriff’s department employees a pay raise that took effect this week. Depending on years of service, they are making $1.50 to $2.50 an hour more. It’s a big step toward making the positions more competitive in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene corridor, Sheriff Ben Wolfinger said this week/Scott Maben, SR. More here.

Question: Would you like to see Kootenai County commissioners increase pay for deputies and jailers even more?