PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth’s sheriff is asking city leaders to address key concerns impacting his department.
In an email obtained by 13News Now, Sheriff Michael Moore listed several issues in need of funding, including deputy pay and worn-down vehicles.
“Despite our best efforts to address certain issues, they have not been resolved to our satisfaction,” wrote Moore in an email to Portsmouth City Council members and interim City Manager Mimi Terry on April 17. “The lack of body cameras, dependable and available vehicles, and the supplemental pay that has been promised and yet to be given have hindered the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office from carrying out their duties to their best ability.”
In the memo, Moore requested more money to pay deputies, which he said are the lowest paid in the region.
“It wasn’t to point fingers at anyone or be critical of anyone, but we cannot just keep sitting back and having conversations and nothing happens,” Moore told 13News Now on Wednesday.
Moore specifically referenced a $6,500 cost of living pay adjustment he claims was approved under former city managers Angel Jones and Tonya Chapman to boost salary for deputies.
According to Moore, the Portsmouth sheriff deputies are the lowest paid in the region, and the current supplemental pay rate, which is around $2,100 per deputy, has not changed in nearly 20 years.
In response to an email request, Interim City Manager Mimi Terry shared multiple ways in which the City has invested the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office in recent years.
"Since returning in January 2023, I have been working tirelessly to ensure that departments and elected officials have the resources they need to perform their duties around the city and for our citizens," said interim City Manager Mimi Terry.
Among several items, Terry said 121 sheriff's office employees received $6,500 payments in October 2022 for retention from federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, totaling $1.16 million. This was approved by council.
She also said the city has paid millions of dollars for both the Portsmouth City Jail and the regional jail, despite not housing inmates in the latter.
Moore also shed light on worn-down equipment, particularly old and overused vehicles, which he said can be unreliable.
“At any given time, if one of our cars breaks down, we don’t have a backup vehicle. So, it really puts us in a bind,” said Moore.
Moore told 13News Now, at times, some deputy vehicles break down or won’t start. In the memo to city leadership, Moore referenced recent challenges.
“[Monday] we had three bomb threats at three different schools in Portsmouth, and it was a challenge to respond because of a lack of functioning emergency vehicles,” he wrote.
At least one deputy is currently forced to drive his personal vehicle, according to Moore.
In response to a 13News Now request, Terry said city council members will discuss on ordinance on April 25, requesting them to accept $400,000 in state funding for vehicle. The FY2024 proposed budget also include 4 new vehicles for the sheriff's office, which she said council is expected to approve.
The sheriff’s office is primarily responsible for the jail, court security and civil processing. However, in the last few years, Moore said his department added responsibilities to help the city and the Portsmouth Police Department.
Those additional duties include booking and providing School Resource Officers for Portsmouth Public Schools.
When Portsmouth police handled booking, Moore said, their department received funding for 18 positions dedicated to the task. The sheriff’s office has five positions, plus one civilian position the city has not funded, according to Moore.
In 2021, the Portsmouth Sheriff's Department began overseeing the SRO program for the city school division.
Moore also said he’s waiting on department body cameras after the city approved them in 2021.
Moore stated he’s raised the concerns before, but he fears the needs have gotten lost in translation due to constant change in leadership.
In his five years as sheriff, Portsmouth has hired five city managers, including interim, and multiple police chiefs.
“It’s hard to get any stability with that type of revolving door in leadership,” said Moore. “But what we fail to realize is the constant changing of key management positions, it has an impact on not only my agency here at the sheriff’s office, but most importantly, it has a huge impact on the citizens.”
Sheriff Moore said he did not want to blame or create any issues with city leadership, but he wants to remind them of the critical tools deputies need to carry out their daily duties.
Since Monday, there have been "positive" internal conversations between Moore and city leaders about addressing some of the requests. The sheriff told 13News Now he appreciates the working relationship with city council members and staff, and applauded recent city efforts to consider relocating Portsmouth City Jail.
When reached Wednesday, Mayor Shannon Glover emphasized city council members maintain a positive relationship with Moore, and he doesn’t disagree with Moore’s sentiments on the impact of evolving leadership.
Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke said she is on board with Moore’s requests, and she believes the current city council will be able to address concerns this budget cycle.