BEXAR COUNTY – The budget of the Bexar County Sheriff's Department will increase from $118 million in fiscal year 2013-2014 to $135 million in fiscal year 2014-2015.
The $17 million increase will allow for the hiring of 26 new officers, 14 additional jail staff and the creation of two new substations.
Twenty-two of the hired officers will be put on patrol while the remaining four will be investigators within the sheriff's office.
The boost in officers will improve the ratio of officers to citizens, making it one officer per ever 1,800 citizens. The current ratio is one officer per every 2,100 people.
County Commissioners approved the budget on Tuesday.
To fund two new substations on the east and west sides of the county, a little over $14 million of the budget was devoted.
In a press conference Wednesday, Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said the new substations put officers "closer to the fight."
Pamerleau added that the substations will be a cost savings on fuel and vehicle maintenance by preventing many officers from driving between 75 and 300 miles daily from the only BCSO substation currently in south Bexar County.
Locations for the substations have not been decided, the sheriff's office has pinpointed several potential sites in east Bexar County.
"We're in the process of reviewing those in terms of costs, initial negotiations with landowners," said Pamerleau.
In December, BCSO announced it would build its substation to the west near Loop 1604 and Wiseman Boulevard, but that deal fell through forcing the department to look at other options.
Meanwhile, the hiring of 14 jail staffers will allow the department to chip away at heavy overtime pay and staffing issues that have plagued the jail for years.
Additionally, the hiring of 35 jail staff members was approved by the county in June.
"The approval of 35 positions back in June- of course, they go forward into this fiscal year- that's critical because jail population has gone up," said Pamerleau.
Last year, according to the Pamerleau, 60,000 people were booked into the Bexar County Jail.
That number is on track to hit 65,000 this year.
The average daily population of the jail is also increasing.
"Our average daily population in the jail- where it was forecast to be about 3700 in 2014- is now already and projected to be over 4000 for fiscal year 2015," said Pamerleau.
Pamerleau says recruiting and training jail staff can take 4 to 5 months, while the biggest challenge is finding those who measure up.
"From general knowledge testing, background investigation, polygraph… we need to make sure they meet the standards, the rigorous standards, to be a part of law enforcement," she said.