TACOMA, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office’s loss is the Tacoma Police Department’s gain.
Eleven Pierce County deputies are making the lateral move to the Tacoma Police Department, the Pierce County Deputy Sheriffs’ Independent Guild confirmed.
Deputies in Pierce County have been working without a contract since January of this year.
Recruitment and retention have been problems for the sheriff’s office, due in part to Pierce County deputies being the second-lowest-paid law enforcement officers in the county.
Pierce County guild president: ‘It all comes down to money’
Shaun Darby, president of the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild, said it all comes down to money.
“What they can make literally on the north side of 96th Street with the City of Tacoma, versus the south side of 96th Street with the sheriff’s office,” he explained.
Darby said the departures make covering the Key Peninsula, Gig Harbor, and the Spanaway/Parkland areas challenging during overnight hours.
He added that more departures are expected before the end of the year.
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