City Ponders Ways to Attract Transfer Officers
By Chris Ramirez, The Arizona Republic
Gilbert’s police shortage has town officials considering allowing higher-ranking applicants to keep their ranks.
At least one council member thinks the situation is dire enough to consider filling the gaps with firefighter candidates.
Council members expressed concern Tuesday over a report showing that Police Department staffing still is below the town’s goal.
The town’s staffing plans call for one officer for every thousand residents. The department has been authorized to add 80 officers in the next five years.
Gilbert’s police force has 147 officers and 30 vacancies.
“This ratio is unacceptable, period,” Vice Mayor Don Skousen said.
Councilman Dave Crozier said one impediment has been that higher-ranking officers from other towns may be discouraged from applying to Gilbert, fearing they may lose their seniority.
“Who wants to start over again at the bottom?” he asked.
The town may want to explore allowing some senior officers to keep their ranks if they want to come to Gilbert, Skousen said.
“We might want to look at that as another incentive,” he said.
Police Chief John Brewer hopes to fill the positions by June 2005.
Attrition and retention have been chief problems.
Since January, Gilbert has hired 18 officers and lost 19.
Mayor Steve Berman said that while Gilbert doesn’t have money to pay officers more, he is confident the town would meet the shortfalls and make the necessary hires.
The town also might want to promote the merits of police work to firefighter candidates when they apply to Gilbert. One or two may consider switching duties, he hopes.
In the last three years, Gilbert has paid nearly $20,000 in incentives and bonuses as a reward to town employees for their help in recruiting new officers and police staff, town records show.