Hays County reduces security force

SAN MARCOS (KXAN) - Hays County will reduce its security force by eliminating three corrections officer positions, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday.

The county said the move is expected to save about $58,404 for the remainder of this year’s budget. Next year, it will save a total of $116,807.

According to the county, there were no existing statistics or security budget to determine how many officers it would take to adequately staff the newly built Hays County Government Center .

Since early December 2011, the sheriff’s office evaluated whether or not the 18 officers in place would be sufficient for the new building.

The office said since this January, average of 1,022 people per day have entered the government center.

The county’s record shows that during this time, 39 arrests have been made: 19 court arrests, 14 fugitive warrant arrests and 6 arrests for suspects entering the building with weapons and narcotics. Weapons that have been seized were brass knuckles, pruning shears, meat cleaver, hammer, Taser and mace.

After a careful evaluation, sheriff’s office believes this reduction in force will not diminish the overall effectiveness of the security force at the government center and it will save taxpayer dollars.