Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner on Wednesday said he will be compelled to file a lawsuit against the Shelby County Commission if the county proceeds with a plan to cut his budget. He warned that the county must provide the funding to comply with Tennessee law and promote public safety.
Bonner (pictured above) and Chief Administrative Officer Alicia Lindsey said the county budget proposed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris would force his office to cut 441 positions. They asserted that such severe cuts would jeopardize public safety, precluding him from consenting to the budget.
“We’re not proposing extra positions,” Bonner told commissioners. “All we want to do is be made whole.”
Referencing Tennessee law, which mandates, “No governing body shall adopt a budget absent the consent of the sheriff,” Bonner confirmed the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) would be compelled to bring legal action against the Shelby County Commission.
“This looks like the sheriff will be in court with the commission,” Bonner told the commissioners.
Instead of the cuts, Bonner proposes a $3 million increase to his office’s budget, which he said is necessary for maintenance.
“There are slight increases in our budget, but that’s due to maintenance efforts, costs, things that go with the jail,” he explained, referencing the county jail at 201 Popular in Memphis.
Bonner offered the locks at the Shelby County Jail as an example, revealing mechanical components must now be individually fabricated due to their rarity.
He explained, “The company that built the jail is out of business now, so we have to find companies to fabricate. This is very expensive, and this is very, very difficult.”
The sheriff additionally stressed the support his office provides to Memphis and other municipalities in Shelby County.
“We’re being asked by residents, City of Memphis residents, to do more than what we’ve ever done before,” said Floyd.
He added, “When you start talking about cutting 441 positions… I’ve never said no to any municipality when they’ve asked for the sheriff’s office’s help.”
Bonner and Lindsey also confirmed ongoing safety issues at the jail, which they would only explain were related to the locks. Lindsey also confirmed a “water shortage” at the Poplar jail.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner” by Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
memphis needs more police not less
Maybe Shelby county will move to another state
Based upon the criminal activities in Shelby County, it is time for a new sheriff.