Off-Duty Work Okayed for Wake Deputies

Wake County merchants say they need more security staff with the power to make arrests. So Sheriff John Baker has reinstated the policy allowing deputies to be hired for such work. Several years ago, Baker had revoked that permission

Raleigh police officers may be hired as security guards, but the demand for help exceeded that supply. Further, Raleigh officers' power to arrest ends one mile beyond city limits.

Off-duty employers must sign an agreement that the sheriff and Wake County are not liable for the deputies' actions off duty. And they must provide workers compensation insurance.

Baker had banned the security work several years ago, in part because he was able to raise deputies' pay by about one-third, to $20,000