Benton County Sheriff Says Deputy Shortage Could Reduce Ability To Respond To Calls

A deputy shortage in Benton County is causing the Sheriff’s office to pull back on the number of calls they respond to.

According to Sheriff Eric Knox, he usually has a total of 16 road deputies…however, there are 8 positions open right now…forcing the Sheriff to only allow the current deputies to respond to “emergency calls” for the time being.

Knox indicated on Facebook that some of the calls that may go answered include suspicious vehicles, broken mailboxes or stolen license plates.

As to why so many deputies have vanished…Knox says it’s split decision, with many older deputies retiring and younger ones simply choosing not to be involved anymore.

Knox says he’s spoken to the Benton County Commission about switching to a new retirement system, known as LAGERS, which would cost more than the current system but is better than what they currently offer.

He believes that switching would help draw in new candidates.