Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen said Monday that likely means fewer sheriff's deputies on the street.

County commissioners said they need a nine percent cut across the board to balance next year's budget. 

Since the sheriff's office takes up the bulk of the county's budget, it will likely take the biggest hit, Hirsch reported. 

Phalen said he will have to stop training, limit over time and hold off on replacing old cruisers and other equipment.

But even with those cuts, Phalen said he will likely have to cut 10 or more people from his staff that's because about 90 percent of his budget is personnel.

"You cannot save a tremendous amount of money by trying to cut paper cups or paper clips and things like that," Phalen said. "People call the sheriff's office ... we have to respond.  We have to answer 9-1-1 calls.  We have to respond to emergencies."

Phalen knows he'll soon have to do it all - with fewer people. 

Commissioner Judy Shupe has seen some positive signs in the county's economy -- and hopes cuts made now might one day be restored, but said for now, they cannot be avoided.

"These are still bad economic times.  I think things are turning around but it's a slow process," Shupe said.

Phalen has been creative in dealing with tighter budgets using things such as the community policing program, which has more than 90 volunteers and when gas prices surged, deputies rode golf carts to patrol smaller areas. 

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