Madison County Sheriff Makes Plea For More Deputies

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.(WHNT)-More dollars to hire more deputies. That’s the plea being made by Madison County’s top lawman, who’s warning that his department is being stretched increasingly thin.

Sheriff Blake Dorning says population growth is outpacing county spending on his department, and he’s concerned it could soon have an impact on public safety. Dorning told WHNT News 19 that he specifically needs more deputies on the street, with many currently being pulled away due to increasing caseloads at the Madison County Courthouse and Madison County Detention Center. The sheriff’s office is responsible for security and inmate transporation at both locations.

“Madison County has a reputation of being a very safe community, and we do not want that to change,” said Sheriff Dorning. “More people moving in, and you’re going to have more victims of crime…If they can give us some additional field deputies that would be outstanding.”

Madison County commissioners have already signed off on a budget for the upcoming fiscal year which begins in October. The new budget maintains a funding freeze at previous year levels for all county departments, but Sheriff Dorning said the potential public safety issue merits another look for his expenditures.

At least three new commissioners are set to take office in November, meaning a budget redo is not out of the realm of possibility. Dorning said he’ll make the case for why the extra funding is needed in the days ahead to both commissioners and public.

“We are going to work with them [county commissioners],” said Dorning. “We’re just hoping that when they start looking at financing, that hopefully we can find enough money just to get a few more officers in the field.”