Newly elected Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris took office in early 2020, inheriting a department facing challenges with staffing, jail overcrowding, and a rapidly growing population.
Norris pledged to address deputy retention issues, noting that the sheriff’s office had been losing trained officers to local municipal departments that offered more competitive wages. Starting deputy pay at the time was approximately $25,000 per year plus benefits.
The new sheriff also faced the immediate challenge of managing public safety during the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, which required new protocols for deputies, jail operations, and community interactions.