DANE COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) -- The Dane County Sheriff's Office is in jeopardy of seeing 28 deputy positions cut from its department.
It's part of a $31 million budget deficit the county faces, according to Dane County Executive Melissa Agard.
She plans on cutting a minimum of 4% from each department's budget to close that gap.
A budget amendment proposed by three Dane County Supervisors as part of the 2026 Executive Budget calls for the elimination of 28 positions, currently unfilled.
In a press conference held by the sheriff's office on Monday, Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said the potential cuts will significantly affect public safety, especially in rural areas.
"How is the Dane County Sheriff's Office going to do more with less?" Barrett said. "Our Town of Albion, our areas, our Town of Dunn, our rural areas of Dane County that deserve services, just like the city of Madison, but yet, here we are having county board supervisors taking positions from those that are in our rural areas of our community."
Deputies cover more than 30 towns, villages and cities within the county's 1200 square miles.
"All work tirelessly. 365 days a year, seven days a week, with no days off to keep and maintain the peace," Barrett said.
Barrett said the hiring freeze will significantly impact the new county jail slated to open in 2027. He says all of those new hires would help safely operate the new facility once it is ready to open.
"Taking these 28 positions will not allow us to open that facility, a direct waste of the hard-earned money that our taxpayers have paid to provide a safe, humane and rehabilitative facility for our jail residents, volunteers, staff and deputies," Barrett said.
Brian Tuescher is the President of the Dane County Deputy Sheriff's Association and said members of the department would cause deputies to work mandatory overtime.
"The members that I represent will continue to do the job. But they will do so facing challenges that we have not seen within the last 28 years, from when I started," Tuescher said.
Barrett said that the potential budget cut is significantly larger than last year's cut to the department of two deputy positions.
He encourages anyone who has concerns about the potential staffing cuts to attend the Dane County Executive Board meeting on Thursday.
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