NEWARK, Ohio — Over the last few years, many law enforcement agencies across the state have had trouble keeping their staffing numbers up.

What You Need To Know

• Licking County is expecting a rapid increase in population mostly due to Intel’s move to the county


• Licking County Sheriff’s Office has added 26 new deputies so far this year to accommodate to the growing population


• The anticipated growth sparked the department’s decision to start its very own cadet class

It’s prompted some agencies, like the one in Cleveland, to become more officer friendly, with the department recently raising the maximum age, changing the length of shifts and even offering big signing bonuses.

In central Ohio, one department is putting an emphasis on bolstering its force as Intel’s big plant attracts many more people to its community.

The Licking County Sheriff’s Department hired 26 new deputies so far this year. Fifteen of those were hired in from the department’s first-ever cadet class, which comes at a time Licking County’s population is rapidly increasing.

“Because of the Intel plan to be built in the western part of our county, our numbers would indicate that our population is going to grow 30% over the next 15 years,” said Lt. Chad Carson.

Carson said the anticipated growth sparked the department’s decision to start its very own cadet class.

“We need to employ more deputies,” he explained, “in order to take care of our call service that we’re going to have with increased population. So, we’re trying to get ahead of it by hiring more deputies, get them trained and on the road.” 

Carson said hiring 26 deputies in one year is rare.

“We haven’t done that since 1987. So, this is new for us,” he said.  

Games Claggett, who was born and raised in Licking County, is one of the department’s newest deputies this year.

“When I was younger, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do, but law-enforcement was definitely not one of them,” Claggett said. “I don’t regret it. I love coming to work every day. Yeah, that’s probably the best thing that’s happened to me so far.”