Jail Sergeants Get Raises, Too

Kootenai County Sheriff Ben Wolfinger went before the county commissioners Wednesday to “fall on my sword.” “I’m humbly here before you to tell you I made a mistake,” Wolfinger told the board. Last week, the commissioners approved raises for the sheriff’s office’s patrol deputies and command staff. The problem is, Wolfinger said, he accidentally left 11 detention sergeants off his pay-increase proposal. Since he intended for them to get raises, that left his numbers incomplete at the time of the vote. “I don’t know how I did it,” Wolfinger said. “I’m not a numbers guy. I’m a cop, I’m a police administrator.” He appeared before the commissioners to correct his mistake and ask for the money. So in a 2-1 vote Wednesday, the commissioners approved raises for the 11 sergeants. Commissioner Dan Green voted no, saying he doesn’t agree with giving raises to jail employees. “The whole media campaign was that it was patrol deputies,” Green said/ David Cole , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here .

Question: Do you agree with the pay raises approved by county commissioners for county jail sergeants?