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Negotiations between the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office and the New Mexico Coalition of Public Safety Officers have stalled out.
The two organizations have been in talks since May 2019.
Because of county ordinance, the public is not allowed to know the details of deputies' contracts. County commissioners are not allowed to participate in the negotiations.
Historically, the sheriff's department has lost deputies to other neighboring counties that offer more competitive salaries, according to KRQE. A certified sheriff's deputy in Sandoval County can expect a beginning salary of around $44,000, according to governmentjobs.com.
Union Executive Director Steve Harvey said, “The average tenure of the Sandoval County deputy is less than eight years. From our perspective, the high turnover is due in part to inferior wages and benefits.”
One of the objectives of the NMCPSO is to improve wages and working conditions. Their mission is to "promote and protect the public safety professional in all aspects of public safety labor relations."
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