Hays County commissioners Tuesday decided not to take any action on a public safety issue that the Hays County sheriff says could result in a serious law enforcement shortage.

Sheriff Allen Bridges says something must to be done to help his office recruit more deputies. He and other men and women in uniform Tuesday morning asked commissioners to adopt a new base pay scale for deputies and county constables and provide a package to pay for deputies' uniforms.

Right now the Hays County Sheriff's Department has 12 openings and at times has just five available officers to patrol the entire county.

Hays County is also the only local agency that doesn't pay for deputy uniforms, which can cost $1,500.

Hays County deputies make a base salary of just over $36,000 a year -- the second lowest on the pay scale in comparison to 11 local law enforcement agencies.

And with the county growing so quickly, officers say something needs to be done fast -- before they find themselves even more overwhelmed.

The issue will be brought back before the Commissioners' Court within the next few weeks.