Sacramento County sheriff still tallying cost of 3-day standoff

Sacramento County sheriff still tallying cost of 3-day standoff

By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com

Published: Thursday, Jun. 17, 2010

The value of saving the life of a 16-month-old boy can't easily be quantified. The financial cost, though, is more concrete.
Sacramento County sheriff's officials estimate they spent more than $100,000 in overtime costs to handle last week's high-stress standoff in which an armed, mentally ill man held a toddler hostage inside an Arden Way apartment for 56 hours. http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/17/2828610/sacramento-county-sheriff-still.html#ixzz0rDxQoREl

The overtime cost for county deputies is $100,000. What was their regular pay at this time? For 56 hours of overtime pay that comes to around $1785 dollars per hour. If there were 3 deputies in front of the house and 3 behind that would be 6 deputies per 8 hour shift. At $1785 per hour that meant the 6 deputies were earning $14,280 total for their shift, or about $297 dollars per hour!

Not wonder we read reports of how much more money government employees make than the private sector employees. I’m sure there were those whose overtime pay goes a long way towards their retirement pay if they are in their last years.

Those brave men and women who say they are here to protect us had to take administrative leave because of the stress. "Since the dramatic conclusion, the 25 deputies stationed in the "hot zone" – inside the apartment complex – have been on paid administrative leave, officials said. Deputies backfilling their jobs are being paid overtime, contributing to the $100,000 price tag."

I suspect Dog the Bounty Hunter could have done the job for a lot less.

Charles Tolleson June 18, 2010