The 40 new deputies are expected to fill vacant positions at county jails. The seven civilian jobs will work in radio communications, and officials say they should free up deputies for patrol shifts.

But Sheriff Zach Scott expects 50 more deputies to retire this year, and he said he needs about 80 more workers: deputies and civilians.

“We have to get our staff up to where it needs to be, first of all,” Scott said. “And that’s going to be, like I said, we’re expecting may 50 retire this year, so that won’t even come close to handling the 40 we just hired now to backfill the 50 that’s going to leave and 80 that left last year.”

The sheriff’s office recently hired about 35 deputies, but Scott said that still is not enough.

Commissioner president John O’Grady said he is not convinced expanding the staff is needed.

“I’m not saying we can’t replace folks who retire, that we can’t replace current positions,” O’Grady said. “It’s the expansion of that budget that I am absolutely questioning.”

O’Grady said the sheriff’s budget has nearly doubled since the 9-11 terror attacks, from $49 million to $94 million.

County commission president John O’Grady says the sheriff’s budget this year is $94-million or about 30% percent of the general fund. Commissioners want to control jail staffing costs. They approved money to train 40 new deputies with the understanding that some would be hired at lower pay rates. Currently, the starting pay for a sheriff’s deputy is nearly $43,000 annually. But, O’Grady says any changes in pay scales for deputies will first have to be taken up in bargaining talks between the sheriff and the police union.

“Well, the sheriff’s department has to negotiate that with FOP. We then would ratify a contract but they would negotiate that with the FOP” says O’Grady.

Sheriff Scott was unavailable for comment for this story. The job description says newly hired jail deputy duties include maintaining security, patrol and monitor jail floors, secure prisoner property and maintain reports. Deputies certified in peace officer training can transfer inmates, make arrests and guard prisoners who are hospitalized. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department operates two jails.

John Hayes was reportedly found dead by a co-worker yesterday. The 38-year-old was arrested Friday after authorities executing a child pornography search warrant say they found some 15,000 files on his computer, including videos of about 50 local women filmed through their bedroom windows.

Authorities say Hayes’ death ends the investigation of adult victims, but investigators will still look into whether there are any child victims.

Sheriff Zach Scott says the investigation targeted traditional street-based prostitution, as well as people using hotels along the I-270 and Route 23 corridor to meet clients.

Scott says charges include promoting prostitution, soliciting for prostitution, and drug possession.

In one case, investigators reportedly found a three-year-old child waiting in a car while her mother was inside a hotel meeting with a client.