Discussion regarding staffing issues within the Webb County Sheriff’s Office; Mental Health Unit, with possible action to increase deputies within said department to adequately handle the increasing demand for mental health consumers. [Sponsored by Tano E. Tijerina, County Judge and Jesse Gonzalez, Commissioner Pct. 1]
Issue: The Webb County Sheriff’s Office handles all mental health cases within the county. Oftentimes deputies are tasked with transporting consumers to other counties, resulting in extended working hours for the deputies and an accumulation of comp time, annual leave and an office that is inadequately staffed.
Solution: Increasing deputies within this department will allow deputies to take adequate time off when traveling extended periods of time so as to avoid an accumulation of annual time and depletion of deputies within the department.
Result: Sheriff’s Office will be adequately staffed to keep up with the demand within the Mental Health Unit’s ever-increasing workload.