Deputies to receive $1k premium pay
Jul. 30—Lauderdale County deputies may see a bit more money in their paycheck as the county works to get them premium pay.
In a work session Thursday, Sheriff Billy Sollie said the state legislature passed a bill earlier this year to provide law enforcement officers with $1,000 of premium pay. To draw down the funds from the state, he said, the Board of Supervisors needed to pass a resolution.
"There is a resolution that the board has to approve," he said. "We have printed it off, and we'll have it available for the board to vote on Monday."
To receive their $1,000, Sollie said deputies will have to participate in a training class about COVID-19. The deputies' certifications for completing the training, along with the resolution signed by the board, would be sent into the state to receive the funds.
Sollie said the state would send the money to the county for it to distribute to deputies.
"Last I heard, to the individual officers it'll come to the county, and the county will go to the officers," he said. "The sheriffs, it'll go straight to the sheriffs."
Board Attorney Lee Thaggard said he had received an email from Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann's office with information about the state statutes relevant for the premium pay, but it did not have the forms.
Thaggard asked Sollie to send him copy of the resolution and other documentation to review before the board votes on it Monday.
The one-time premium pay for law enforcement officers was passed by the Mississippi Legislature during the 2022 session. House Bill 1427 was signed by Gov. Tate Reeves on April 21 and went into effect July 1.
The bill set aside funds from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund for all certified law enforcement officers and certified fire fighters in the state, and charged the Department of Public Safety with distributing the funds throughout the state.
