Sheriff Seeks More Jailers, Citing State Staffing Inspection Failures

Article Summary: Montgomery County Sheriff Tyson Holshouser has asked for an additional full-time jailer, a part-time-to-full-time conversion and an administrative assistant, citing state inspection failures for staffing only one jailer on the midnight shift, the Development & Personnel Committee reported to the County Board on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

MCSO Staffing Request Key Points:

• Holshouser cited state inspection failures for staffing only one jailer on the midnight shift.
• The sheriff also requested an administrative assistant, citing extensive FOIA requests and the need for secretarial back-up.
• The committee discussed options for the 708 Board and 911 helping with costs.
• The request was deferred to the Finance & Budget Committee for the FY2027 budget cycle.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office wants more corrections staff, and the request now rests with the county’s budget writers.

Development & Personnel Committee Chairman Chad Ruppert told the County Board on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, that Sheriff Tyson Holshouser requested another full-time jailer and moving a part-time jailer to full-time, citing state inspection failures for staffing only one jailer on the midnight shift.

Holshouser also requested adding an administrative assistant, citing extensive FOIA requests and the need for secretarial back-up.

Ruppert said the committee discussed options for the 708 Board and 911 helping with costs and deferred to the Finance & Budget Committee as to whether any of the requested staff can be added in FY2027. No vote was taken on the request Tuesday.

The sheriff’s April report, submitted to the board May 4, 2026, and included on the Consent Agenda, documents the workload behind the request. The office reported 89 detainees during the month — 68 males and 21 females — with an average of 34.97 daily detainees and an average length of stay of 23.78 days. Jail staff logged 13 jail incidents and 20 transports totaling 56 transport hours.

The office also reported 31 FOIA requests for the month.

Countywide, the sheriff’s communications division handled an incident count of 2,444 in April. Law enforcement incidents dispatched by the sheriff’s office totaled 1,476, including 563 for the sheriff’s office itself, 678 for Litchfield police, 185 for Nokomis police and 50 for other agencies. Deputies served 63 civil and criminal papers and 31 arrest warrants, and the office generated $540 in revenue from process service, sales and bond fees.

Holshouser was present at Tuesday’s meeting for questions on the sheriff’s report, which was approved as part of the Consent Agenda on a motion by Evan Young and a second from Keith Hancock, all in favor.

Staffing is not the office’s only pending Coal Fund request. Among the Coal Fund 375 vouchers the board approved Tuesday was $7,400 to replace the transmission in the Sheriff’s vehicle.

The Finance & Budget Committee tentatively set budget hearings for Aug. 18-19, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.