The Garden City Telegram
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Deputies leaving for casino jobs
Published 10/27/2009 in Local News
By RACHAEL GRAY
The Finney County Sheriff's Office, in preparation for possibly larger budget cuts in the next fiscal year, has frozen newly vacant positions in the office.
The office has lost a patrol deputy and two street gang unit deputies who have taken jobs at the new Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City.
Sheriff Kevin Bascue has frozen two of four gang unit positions after having been advised the office could see a tighter budget in 2011.
The sheriff's office, which employs 100 full-time and two part-time employees, already has frozen one full-time and two part-time positions. The two gang unit vacancies will mark the fourth position freezes.
The gang unit loses Todd Wasinger and Colby Ellis, and patrol loses Joe York, Bascue said.
"The guys had a desire to work for the state and do security. I guess it's a pay increase," Bascue said. "It's unusual that I lost three guys at once, but it's understandable. We wish them luck."
The three deputies already have given their notices and have vacated their positions.
To fill the patrol position, Bascue said, a jail deputy will be moved into the slot.
A deputy from the patrol unit will be moved to fill one of the street gang unit positions in the next couple of months, he said.
So for now, Mariano Muniz remains the only deputy on the street gang unit, Bascue said.
"He'll just do what one guy can do for now. He won't be trying to do anything more than what he was doing. We'll just have less gang unit activity for awhile," Bascue said.
Bascue said when a patrol deputy moves into the gang unit position, he'll expect a lot from Muniz and the other deputy.
"This leaves us shorthanded for gang intelligence and investigations. Four people can do a lot more investigating than two," Bascue said.
Out of the formerly four-person street gang unit, one position already had been vacant for a few months because York filled a vacant patrol sergeant position, Bascue said.
"The positions right now will be frozen until we see the 2011 budget. They're not eliminated, just frozen. If the budget is rosier for 2011, we'll replace the two frozen positions in the gang unit," Bascue said.
That way, he said, if more of the budget has to be cut, he won't have to let anyone go.
"We hope it's better in 2011," he said.
In order for jail deputies to slide into the now vacant positions, Bascue is preparing to hire two new jail deputies to replace them.
He said anyone who is 18 or older and has a high school diploma is eligible to apply. The pay starts at $11.25. Jail deputies work in 12-hour shifts and operate on four-week schedules because of four-week pay periods, Bascue said.
He said the positions likely will be filled in a few months.
The gang unit was formed two years ago to curb, police and contain gang activity.
Sgt. Steve Martinez reported in August that there are currently seven to 10 gangs active in Garden City with about 100 to 150 total members.
According to the Boot Hill Casino's Web site, the construction is nearing completion and is on schedule to be completed in late October. It will be turned over to its owners in November. Boot Hill Casino & Resort is on schedule to announce its opening in mid-December.
The casino will employ about 250 people in its first phase and will grow to a total of 600 new jobs when the second phase is completed in December 2011. The casino will become Dodge City's fourth largest employer and the highest contributor to local and county property taxes.
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this story
This newspaper article and the short bit on the news is making it sound like these former Deputies are only leaving for better money. This is not true! They all have their own personal reasons. Also, they are not leaving to work the casino "security" as stated. They will be State Enforcement Agents, not just Casino Security workers. The Casino has hired their own security staff.
Posted by: gc citizen on 10/28/2009
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