Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough called for better funding to support his staff during a press conference on Wednesday.
The press conference follows a county commission meeting, where it was revealed that his office could be over budget by more than a million dollars.
Sheriff Kimbrough says more than $600,000 of the overage comes from off-site inmate medical services such as hospital visits. And more than $300,000 stems from overtime.
According to a presentation, this comes as the average daily inmate population and length of stay have continued to increase.
Kimbrough says it’s part of a growing expense his office has dealt with for years.
“The message is simple: you either pay on the front end or you pay on the back end. When you pay on the back end, the price is more," he says.
Law enforcement leaders in attendance said close collaboration has led to drops in crime, but those improvements come with a cost.
Forsyth County residents are able to weigh in on the budget during a public hearing scheduled for May 18.