Overtime costs for Cuyahoga County sheriff鈥檚 deputies and corrections officers are under budget for the first time in years, months after disputes with the executive鈥檚 office during budget hearing over the office鈥檚 spending led to a reorganization of the office and a lawsuit.
Sheriff Harold Pretel has been able to reduce overtime by more than 4,000 hours compared to the same period last year and is projecting a $1.3 million dollar decrease in overtime spending for the full year.
鈥淣ow the fact is, it鈥檚 early: It鈥檚 cold out, not a lot of things going on,鈥� Pretel told county council members Tuesday. 鈥淲e know as the year goes on 鈥� temperature goes up. Violence increases. People go on vacations. We know July we have shortages, etc., but this is where we are today.鈥�
Councilmember Patrick Kelly asked for the figures at the end of a 45-minute presentation on reducing part of the department鈥檚 overtime spending 鈥� the $5.6 million spent on deputies last year out of overall overtime spending by the sheriff of $20.6 million. Most overtime goes to corrections officers working in the county jail.
Pretel is asking to hire 40 more deputies to help with the largest driver of overtime - medical transports from the jail to the hospital.
鈥淭he transports for residents requiring medical attention going to Metro Hospital main campus are primarily conducted by the deputy sheriffs. Also, hospital details are conducted by deputy sheriffs,鈥� said Pretel. 鈥淚f we had the additional staffing, we could send someone on regular time, which would be a significant savings.鈥�
According to Councilmember Sunny Simon, the deputies who handle medical transport are stationed at a desk near the entrance to the jail between rides to the hospital.
鈥淪o, right now they're working OT mostly at that desk at the Justice Center, right?鈥� asked Simon.
The answer to that question was not clear.
County Executive Chris Ronayne appointed Pretel in 2023. His administration said the way to reduce overtime is not through hiring.
鈥淲e continue to ask Sheriff Pretel and his leadership team to cooperate with the county executive and the other involved county departments to take a critical, honest look at staffing, scheduling, policies, and procedures to ensure resources are being used efficiently and appropriately,鈥� said Communications Director Kelly Woodard. 鈥淭he best way to lower overtime costs is to make operational improvements and that can only happen if all departments in the county operate cohesively toward the same objective."
In 2023, during Pretel鈥檚 first budget cycle as sheriff, he requested 90 additional deputies. At the time, it was to expand the department鈥檚 law enforcement presence countywide and respond to people violating electronic monitoring.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Pretel cited state law and said sheriffs are tasked with 鈥渕aintaining the peace throughout the county鈥� to explain his need for additional deputies.
鈥淚 mention that because, as in any legal document, the things that are mentioned earlier on in a legal document have more weight and certainly have more credence,鈥� Pretel said.
Councilmember Michael Gallagher has criticized the sheriff鈥檚 department and county executive for wide differences on the department鈥檚 budget and coming back to council repeatedly for more money.
鈥淲e always do it. And it鈥檚 got to stop. We鈥檝e got to get to a number,鈥� said Gallagher during budget hearings in December.
