Pierce Co. Sheriff's Department works to build up low staff numbers at WA State Fair

PUYALLUP, Wash. - Facing a staffing shortage, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department is hoping to find new recruits at the Washington State Fair.

According to officials with the department, PCSD is down about 50 sheriff’s deputies and about 50 corrections deputies. 

"Law enforcement has been hit especially hard with everything that has gone on since COVID, you know, and then 2020. People that used to consider law enforcement aren’t considering it anymore," said Deputy Joseph McDonald with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

The department is putting a big focus on hiring new recruits-- which was why McDonald was at the Washington State Fair on Friday.

Over the next few weeks, the department will be located in a tent on the fairgrounds.

Historically, hundreds of thousands of people go to the fair, and the department is hoping to connect with as many people as possible.

"We’ve got marine services. We’ve got an air unit. We’ve got a dive team. We’ve got a swift water rescue team. We’ve got hazardous devices [team]. I mean you name it. We keep going and going," he said.

The department is also offering $10,000 signing bonuses to new recruits, and $25,000 signing bonuses to lateral hires.

The effort is not just in person. McDonald says in the last few years, the department has gone online with its recruiting efforts.

For more information, you can visit the Pierce County Sheriff's Recruiter Facebook page.