The Sioux County Board of Supervisors has approved adding a new full-time jailer position to the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Nate Huizenga says the move comes after years of steadily increasing inmate populations and growing demands on jail staff.
Huizenga says inmate counts have risen over the past several years, including both local arrests and federal inmates housed in the Sioux County Jail. That increase has also meant more court appearances, more inmate transports, and heavier scheduling demands.
The new hire will serve as a full-time jailer with flexible duties. The position can work inside the jail, handling inmate well-being and daily operations, or assist with jail and court transports, including federal inmates.
Huizenga says one key goal is reducing burnout among existing staff members.
The sheriff says the cost of the position — including wages and benefits — is around $100,000 annually.
However, Huizenga noted that an increase in federal inmates has also led to increased revenue, since the federal government pays Sioux County to house those inmates. That revenue helps offset the cost of the added position.
The sheriff says this is the first increase in jail staffing levels in more than two decades.
