Jerome, Idaho (KMVT-TV) The Jerome County Commissioners tentatively approved pay raises for sheriff's deputies.

According to Commissioner Charles Howell, the starting salary for a deputy is approximately $29,000 a year.

The average salary is $2,600 a month for court security, detention and patrol officers.

The new raise would bump up these salaries by 3%.

Howell tells us they're losing a number of deputies to competing agencies who pay better.

"The other concern, we tried to raise it a couple of years ago, had a three–year plan, approximately 10% of that time. So we're still falling behind and we're trying to address that. But all employees, county employees are still under stress and we lose them too, good employees that we like to keep," adds Howell.

The commissioners are looking to give all county employees a 2% raise.

Commissioner Howell says they will take up this matter during budget discussions next week.

If approved, the raises would become effective on October 1st.