The heavy caseload for Butler County Adult Probation soon might be spread out among more officers.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency on Thursday awarded a $200,000, two-year grant to the county to hire two more adult probation officers.

Tom Holman, deputy court administrator, said the new posts are needed to lessen the probation case load.

Of the department's current 18 probation officers, seven handle 360 to 390 general cases at any time. Holman said the ideal case load is 200 to 225.

"This will not get us there, but it is a step in the right direction," he said.

Holman said officers handling probation cases involving more serious crimes, such as sexual offenders, have lesser case loads.

The county salary board was expected to discuss the possible hiring of the new probation officers at its meeting today.

The state grant, which was funded by federal stimulus money, runs from April through March 2012. Holman said there is no indication new grant funding would be available in 2012.

He said once the grant ends in two years, the posts would be cut if alternative funding is not found.

Holman said there are a couple existing probation posts that were created years ago through grants and are now funded by the county.

If the proposed jobs are created, the new officers would be paid $16.23 an hour, or $33,750 annually. After serving an 18-month job probation, they would then be paid $20.25 an hour.

Holman said the consolidated adult probation office in the city tier garage has sufficient space for new officers.

"When we renovated the tier garage, we allowed ample space for the expansion of staff," he said.