Riverside County Supervisors Approve Potential Pay Increases for Sheriff’s Top Administrators

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has approved a proposal that could lead to pay increases for several top administrators within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

In a unanimous 5–0 vote, the board authorized the county’s Department of Human Resources to modify salary ranges for multiple high-level sheriff’s department positions. The action was taken to prevent what officials describe as salary compaction, a situation in which supervisors earn the same or less than the employees they oversee.

The positions affected include the chief correctional deputy, chief deputy sheriff, chief deputy sheriff designated as “A” or “B,” assistant sheriff, and assistant sheriff designated as “A” or “B.” No specific individuals were named in the proposal presented to the board.

County officials said the issue stems in part from a new three-year collective bargaining agreement approved in July with the Law Enforcement Management Unit. That contract includes automatic pay increases totaling 19 percent over three years and applies to sheriff’s captains, district attorney investigators, and other county peace officers. As a result, some captains’ salaries were approaching or exceeding those of their superiors.

According to the Department of Human Resources, the revised salary ranges are intended to ensure appropriate pay progression at the executive management level and support retention and future growth within the department. Any immediate costs would only apply to current employees earning below the new minimums.

Under the new ranges, assistant sheriff salaries could rise significantly. The assistant sheriff position would range from $261,000 to $313,323 annually, up from the previous range of $163,099 to $221,326. Higher designated assistant sheriff positions would see maximum salaries exceeding $350,000 per year. Chief deputy and correctional leadership positions would also see notable increases in their salary ranges.

The changes are retroactive to December 11. County officials said there are no anticipated immediate impacts to the sheriff’s budget and noted that a market survey of neighboring counties was conducted to align Riverside County with comparable jurisdictions.

It remains unclear how many of the affected positions are currently filled.

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