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The union representing Pierce County Sheriff’s Office’s rank-and-file employees overwhelmingly .

The union received a near-unanimous verdict鈥�290 to 1 (99.7%)鈥攊n its rejection of County Executive Ryan Mello鈥檚 contract offer. The vote had a record-breaking 97% turnout.

“Public safety in Pierce County starts with the men and women who wear the badge. They deserve more than lip service,” the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild stated. “They deserve a contract that reflects the risks they take and the service they provide. The Executive鈥檚 offer simply doesn鈥檛 deliver.”

Mello’s contract features a pay raise of 10% over the next three years (4%, 3%, then 3%).

“After the third year, the Guild would be behind Tacoma PD even further than they are today,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank wrote on .

The two sides have been bargaining for more than a year. The union has previously described Mello as “difficult and disrespectful” during negotiations, according to .

What the union wants

The guild is vying for a contract that gives its deputies near-equal pay with other neighboring policing agencies. The union cited that poor pay, working conditions, and staffing levels have caused employees to seek employment elsewhere. The staffing at the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has failed to surpass its staffing numbers from 20 years ago, while the population has grown by more than 220,000 people since 2000.

“Pierce County currently ranks at the bottom in Washington State for police staffing per capita, crippling the Sheriff鈥檚 Office鈥檚 ability to keep pace with growing demands across a vast jurisdiction,” the guild wrote. “Chronic underfunding and below-market pay have pushed Pierce County further behind in the fight to recruit and retain qualified deputies. Meanwhile, surrounding agencies offer better pay and working conditions, pulling candidates away and pushing current deputies to the brink. Our deputies are leaving.”

According to the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild, approximately 17 deputies are currently looking to leave the sheriff鈥檚 office for the Tacoma Police Department.

Swank has previously called out Mello during negotiations on social media.

While the Pierce County Executive doesn鈥檛 want to compensate our deputies fairly, Tacoma PD is trying to steal them by offering a $50k hiring bonus, 7% pay increase over their current rate of pay, 80 hours of vacation, and 80 hours of sick leave upon hiring.

鈥� Sheriff Keith Swank (@Swank4America)

Additionally, the union representing sheriff鈥檚 deputies in Pierce County informed its staff that if they want more money, they need to apply somewhere else, according to .

“I am disappointed that the sheriff is making false and misleading statements about my position and bringing this collective bargaining out of the appropriate forum established by State law鈥搘hich is the bargaining table,鈥� Mello wrote in a statement to The Tacoma News Tribune. “He could not be more wrong鈥揳s I have demonstrated in numerous ways and numerous times, I am relentlessly supportive of our men and women who serve in the Sheriff鈥檚 Department.”

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is on pace to respond to more than 200,000 calls in 2025.

Pierce County responds

Pierce County responded to the rejection of the contract proposal via a statement to 成人X站 Newsradio.

Pierce County greatly values the service, professionalism, and dedication of our sheriff鈥檚 office employees and remains committed to ensuring they are compensated competitively and treated with the respect their service deserves.

The proposal the guild members voted on included significant pay increases and robust benefits that are both competitive and sustainable. We believe it reflects the critical work of our law enforcement professionals while also meeting our responsibility to the residents of Pierce County.

The sheriff鈥檚 office receives most of our General Fund funds because we not only want to pay deputies and jail staff fairly but also the jail healthcare contract, the jail food contract, jail capital improvements and the humane society contract. All these costs of doing business impact available revenues.”

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