KENT COUNTY, Mich. — When it comes to running a county, personnel and public safety are typically two big tickets items in the budget.
A call for applicants to fill several open positions at the Kent County Sheriff's Office is representative of both these costs.
A total of "upwards of 12" patrol deputy positions are available.
"New positions are being created and retirements are coming up," KCSO Public Information Officer Scott Dietrich said. "We are expanding here at the sheriff's office all the time."
Those interested in applying must be MCOLES certified or a certified, out-of-state law enforcement officer and, if hired, will be able to start their new job in January or May of 2026.
"If you want to work out in the woods and in a country setting, you can work in our north precinct," Dietrich said about the balance of rural and urban areas in Kent County.
"If you want to work in the city, you can work Alpine, Plainfield, Gaines or Byron Townships," he said.
As for pay, Dietrich says KCSO offers a "competitive" wage ($30.81 per hour). After five and a half years with the department, employees are eligible for top pay (slightly more than $44 an hour). A pension, PTO and holidays are also included in a benefits package.
In addition to their daily duties, patrol deputies are also able work in special units, including the dive team, drone unit, mounted unit and more.
"Our biggest job is problem solving," Dietrich said.
"You are seeing people at their worst. You're seeing people from different walks of life," he said. "It might be something that we've never dealt with before, but using our skills and tactics, we can problem solve for those people and make sure they have a positive outcome."
Kent
Kent County passed a new, $668M budget. Let's look at the money.
Per the budget for Kent County, recently passed by its board of commissioners, the money set aside for the Kent County Sheriff's Office is set to increase by 9% in 2026 as compared to 2025.
In total, the department's budget ($100.99 million) represents nearly half of the county's general fund operating budget ($205.2 million).
In 2026, the department is set to add several new positions — the equivalent of seven full-time employees — through the hiring of new corrections officers, a corrections lieutenant(s) and an emergency communications supervisor(s).
The budget also included additional funds to replace vehicles in the department's fleet, pay for tasers and various types of video cameras and increase the food budget and medical care for inmates.
To read the full budget passed by the Kent County Board of Commissioners, click here.
