Two big pay raises to personnel at the Scioto County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office have caused more controversy for the already embattled law enforcement agency. An insider tipped Scioto County Daily News off about pay raises for Chief Deputy Todd Miller and Office Manager Karen Coleman. Our insider claimed both were recently given raises of $10 per hour.
Our tipster was able to back it up with records showing Chief Deputy Miller’s pay rate at $46.36 per hour and Coleman’s at $38.95. Office manager Coleman is making $5 an hour more than the captain’s pay rate of $33.59.
The documentation provided to SCDN by an insider shows that Coleman’s pay rate is around double the average pay for deputies and nearly triple the starting pay for corrections officers. All this comes at a time when the Scioto County Sheriff’s office has five vacant deputy positions and two empty corrections officer positions.
Sheriff’s Office Under Fire
The Scioto County Sheriff’s has experienced a rough couple of years, including the death of an inmate after injuries sustained at the Scioto County Jail this past spring.
- A dispute with Scioto County Commissioners over 79 out-of-service Sheriff’s vehicles stored on the property of a former special deputy led to the matter being sent to the Ohio State Auditor for review. Commissioners accused the sheriff of not following proper procedures for disposing of county property.
- Back in February, the jail mistakenly released inmate Talleon Stephon Brazil. Brazil was transferred to the Scioto County Jail from the Saginaw Correctional Facility to face drug charges in Ohio. He was currently serving a sentence of 14-40 years for robbery, carjacking, firearms, and drug charges. The jail was supposed to hold him until his trial was finished and return him to Michigan. Instead, he was released on bond. Brazil was later recaptured in Michigan.
- In May, inmate Kevin Bailey was seriously injured in an incident at the jail and later died from those injuries. At the time, jail personnel said he had run into a door during a scuffle. However, an autopsy concluded that he died of blunt-force trauma and ruled the death a homicide.
Sheriff Donini Retires
Sheriff Mary Donini announced his retirement late last year after nearly 24 years in office. Donini made an unsuccessful bid for County Commissioner. Captain John Murphy hoped to take Donini’s place but lost to David Thoroughman during the primary. Murphy later retired.
Murphy isn’t the only recent retirement, Deputy Paul Bloomfield and Captain Shawn Sparks both retired at the end of September.
Scioto County Daily News reached out to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office for comment on Friday. We have not yet heard back.
