Cleveland County Sheriff Implements Layoffs Despite Record $19.75 Million Budget

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), despite receiving a record $19.75 budget for FY 2025, announced layoffs Friday, citing ongoing financial woes. The cuts primarily affect administrative staff, with some impact on deputies, according to a statement on the CCSO Facebook page. The number of layoffs remains unclear as neither CCSO Sheriff Chris Amason nor his staff responded to News 9’s inquiries Friday.

Defending the cuts, Sheriff Amason said in a statement, “These decisions were not made lightly,” he said, “but we remain committed to delivering the best possible law enforcement services.” Amason explained that in addition to reducing personnel, the office will sell surplus assets, review contracts, and transition some services to county-wide resources like IT and HR. Patrol operations will now primarily focus on unincorporated areas, and cross-training will be implemented to improve efficiency.

The layoffs raise questions about how the sheriff’s office, which secured its largest budget in history, is still facing financial difficulties. Cleveland County Commissioners recently approved the sheriff’s office an overall $19.75 million budget in FY 2025, an increase from the previous year, with $11.45 million of general funds, $3 million from public safety sales tax funds, and at least $5.3 million in cash funds, including commissary revenue related to the jail. Despite the funding increase, tensions remain high between the sheriff’s office and the county commissioners. Amason has consistently argued that his office has been underfunded in previous years, citing rising operational costs and requirements for adequate staffing levels at the county jail.

Cleveland County commissioners have criticized the sheriff’s handling of his budget, pointing out that they had to provide bailouts in FY 2024 to keep the office afloat.

The budget dispute led Cleveland County Commissioners and Amason to both request a state audit earlier this year. The audit, covering fiscal years 2021 through 2024, is examining various financial practices, including payroll expenditures, deputy credit card transactions, and compliance with purchasing regulations. Following up on their initial request, commissioners asked state auditors to prioritize the current fiscal year from July 2023 to February 2024.

The first part of the audit published in June did not draw any conclusions. The partial reports indicated the sheriff’s office collected $16.8 million between July 2023 and February 2024; disagreements persisted regarding the accurate accounting of funds.

Despite the ongoing budget battle, county commissioners have repeatedly stepped in to provide emergency funding. Commissioners diverted $3.2 million to the sheriff’s office to cover outstanding bills and payroll in FY 2024.

Compounding the financial scrutiny is a lawsuit stemming from the death of Shannon Hanchett, a 38-year-old mother of two who died in Cleveland County Detention Center in December 2022. Hanchett, a local business owner, was arrested by Norman police on a misdemeanor complaint and taken to the county jail, where she was held for over a week without receiving appropriate treatment for a mental health crisis, according to the lawsuit.

Hanchett was allegedly placed in a temporary holding cell without a mattress, toilet, or sink, according to the lawsuit. Despite exhibiting signs of severe mental distress, she remained in the cell for more several days, according to the lawsuit.

Daniel Smolen, attorney for Hanchett’s widower, claims her condition worsened as she was denied water and basic medical care, which eventually led to her death. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found she died from heart failure and severe dehydration.

“Most disturbing is the number of people who could have done anything to prevent her death but failed to do anything to help her,” said Smolen.

The lawsuit accuses jail staff and Turn Key Health Clinics, the jail’s medical provider, of failing to provide basic care. CCSO and Turn Key have defended their handling of the situation, stating that medical personnel evaluated Hanchett multiple times during her detention. However, critics argue that systemic issues in the jail, including understaffing and inadequate training, led to poor conditions for Hanchett and other detainees.

The sheriff’s office has recently faced mounting criticism over conditions at the Cleveland County Detention Center. The most recent complaints followed the deaths of two inmates in August from apparent suicides.

Public outcry over the conditions at the detention center, coupled with allegations of financial mismanagement, have led to calls for greater oversight and accountability. The ongoing state audit will play a critical role in providing clarity on whether mismanagement or insufficient funding is to blame for the department’s current struggles. The audit is expected to be completed in October. 

The Board of County Commissioners responded to Sheriff Chris Amason’s Statement Regarding Layoffs saying:

“Since Sheriff Chris Amason took office, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office has seen a high turnover rate, estimated at 315 personnel. The Cleveland County Board of County Commissioners is saddened to learn that more valued employees are losing their jobs. These layoffs are the consequence of mismanagement and previous decisions made by Sheriff Amason, which have affected the operations and stability of his department.

The sheriff overspent his 2024 fiscal year budget by $4.5 million, which has led to significant financial strain on the department.

The current 2025 fiscal year started July 1 and the Sheriff’s Office experienced an 8.1% increase in its budget over the previous fiscal year. Sheriff Amason’s 2025 fiscal budget is nearly $20 million. The Cleveland County Budget Board, comprised of all eight elected county officials including Sheriff Amason, is responsible for approving or disapproving the budgets.

As part of the Budget Board, the Board of County Commissioners remains committed to supporting public safety while ensuring responsible and transparent use of taxpayer funds.”