Warren County supervisors are considering four budget proposals — three of which include raises for the sheriff’s department. We implore the board to choose one of these three options.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Department has 42 positions from undersheriff to entry-level deputy. The sheriff’s salary is set by state law according to population, but all working under him are paid by the county. The staff is in charge of law enforcement for the entire county — an area of about 600 square miles, which includes the city limits of Vicksburg.

The city employs 72 officers and entry-level pay to be a city cop is $28,392. The city’s population is about half of the entire county’s 48,773 residents, according to the 2010 census.

Most importantly, it has been three years since deputies or staff received even a cost-of-living adjustment. Entry-level deputies start at $27,842 per year.

The three plans, involving deputy raises, vary:

• Sheriff’s department staff would receive a 5 percent bump in salary coupled with a 3 percent raise across the board for all county employees.

• Sheriff’s Department employees would receive an 8 percent increase, with a 3 percent salary increase for 17 jail staffers.

• Raises of 7 percent would be given to department staff, and money is allocated for a third assistant district attorney.

Board members hold differing views — from allocating raises for every county employee to making sure any bumps in pay would not create a deficit. In times of economic uncertainty, fiscal prudence should carry weight. But safety should, as well.

The way to keep a well-staffed, competent sheriff’s department is to pay well. To keep the same staff takes an occasional bump in pay. Three years is too long without even a semblance of a pay increase.

We urge supervisors to take that stance. It has been too long. The time to act is now.