ROCKFORD – Officials in Winnebago County hope to hire 10 additional deputies to patrol the streets and 20 corrections officers to handle the county jail's growing inmate population.

Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen says the additional personnel could be hired after the county's new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 if there's money in the budget. He says crime is the county's biggest priority.

The Rockford Register Star reports that the county's budget is partly dependent on local shoppers. They fund the county's ability to hire corrections officers through the county's 1 cent public safety sales tax.