With inflation, the cost of living, and gas prices on the rise, so are the costs of services offered by a local law enforcement agency.

On the WHOW Morning Show Monday, DeWitt County Board Chair Joe Witte told Regional Radio that at last week's county board meeting, a motion to increase the cost of services like eviction standby and fingerprinting was passed. This decision comes on the heels of a recent cost study done on the Sheriff's office. 

Witte emphasizes that these increases are not coming without need. While it's important to keep public services reasonably priced, the county also must keep costs up to date so the services can be funded. 

A cost study was done for DeWitt County Animal Control recently as well. Witte states that this was done to see where spending could be reduced on the county's side. 

Witte makes the point that if costs were not increased for the Sheriff's Department's services, it would come at the cost of the taxpayer. This would increase the amount paid by citizens who are potentially not using those extra services.