Orange County sheriff proposes increase in pay for deputies

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings requested a major increase in pay for deputies in his budget proposal on Tuesday.

Demings told Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orange County commissioners that an increase is long overdue, and pointed out that agencies including the Orlando Police Department, Winter Park and Apopka police make more money than those in the Sheriff's Office.

The proposal would increase starting wages for deputies from $40,935 a year to $46,009. That would make OCSO the highest-paid agency, behind OPD, whose officers start at $48,277, but contribute more toward pensions. It would also be the biggest one-time increase in the agency's history.

Demings said the increase is necessary for morale and competitiveness, but also because recent tragedies like Pulse and Monday's Fiamma workplace shooting, explosive growth in the county and tourism.

"We've had a very difficult year these past 12 months, and I believe that the men and women that you see serve, they do so humbly, but they deserve the pay that we put on the table this time," Demings said.

Commissioners responded in kind to the sheriff's request, many asking for specific things like an increase in diverse officers and more patrol on the east side of the county.

A vote on the proposal is expected in July.