COLUMBIANA COUNTY Sheriff's department hires its 1st full-time female deputy

The new deputy puts the department back up to full strength.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Calling it a sign of progress, Columbiana County Sheriff Dave Smith announced he has hired the department's first full-time female deputy.
Jen Hall, 23, of Lisbon, will start work Sept. 24, Smith said Thursday.
Though the department has had and continues to have an unpaid reserve deputy who is a woman, it's never had a woman serve full-time, Smith said.
In making the decision to select Hall from a group that included about 15 male applicants, Smith said he decided the department must move forward.
"It's time Columbiana County has a female deputy on its staff," Smith said. "I hope it shows the department is progressing," he added.
In explaining why it's taken until now to hire a woman, Smith said, "We don't get a lot of female applicants."
Same duties
After an initial training period of several weeks, Hall's duties will be the same as any other deputy, Smith said. That includes working alone and at night, he added.
"I have full confidence in her ability to handle situations," Smith said.
"I'm very excited," Hall said of being hired. "I'll be working with a great bunch of guys," she added.
Hall is a graduate of the Youngstown State University police academy, has attended Kent State University and has worked in several law enforcement jobs.
She previously served as a reserve deputy sheriff. Most recently, she worked as a part-time patrol officer and dispatcher for the Lisbon Police Department.
Hall is replacing an officer who was laid off months ago as part of the county's funding crunch, from which it has since recovered. The furloughed officer Hall is replacing took another job.
Adding her to the department brings it to its full strength of 18 full-time deputies.
Starting pay for a deputy sheriff is $11.87 an hour. That amount is boosted to $14.08 an hour after a year and to the maximum of $17.20 after five years.