HEPPNER — Morrow County Sheriff Ken Matlack announced Tuesday an overhaul of his department’s command staff that includes four promotions to lieutenant.

“The driving force behind the move is to be more fiscally responsible and decrease the overtime budget, while operating as efficiently as possible,” he said in the written statement.

Terry Harper, a 28-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, is the new operations lieutenant in charge of the criminal and patrol divisions, courthouse security, the search and rescue team and the county’s off-road vehicle park. And Melissa Ross serves as the new administrative lieutenant. She worked as a sheriff’s office dispatcher from 1999-2000 and has been with the agency since 2005. She will oversee the civil unit, concealed handgun permits and records management.

She also takes on the office’s new role of public information officer.

Kristen Bowles steps up to communications lieutenant in charge of a sergeant and eight deputies of the communications/9-1-1 division. Dan Robbins will serve as the corrections lieutenant, supervising community corrections deputies and the community service director, who collectively oversee 115 offenders.

Brian Snyder moves up from detective to criminal sergeant to direct criminal investigations, court security staff, the school resource officer and the detectives with the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team.

And Ivy Zimmerman is the new civil sergeant in charge of the civil unit and patrol deputies while they perform civil duties.

Matlack also congratulated his staff on their promotions.