By Beth Kuhles
The Houston Chronicle
The Conroe Police Department is operating at 10 percent below its full force, and will hold its first police academy in June to fill its ranks.
The police department has openings for nine new officers and four others are out with long-term injuries, leaving the department 13 officers below its full force of 107.
Police Chief Philip Dupuis asked the Conroe City Council for four additional officers to be added to the force in anticipation of upcoming retirements or resignation or those recruits who will not graduate.
The additional officers will be funded from $191,000 in savings from the open positions, Dupuis said.
In addition to four new positions, both the police department and the fire department will change the classifications of new officers and firefighters to recruits for their first year of service.
This is to allow the public safety personnel to get more experience before applying for a promotion.
Civil service rules allow police officers and firefighter to apply for promotion after two years on the job. By serving a year as a recruit, it would leave three years before personnel could seek a promotion to the next rank.
The city council also approved a new clerk’s position in municipal court to handle red-light camera violations.
To date, the city has collected $127,000 in red light fines. The position, which will be paid out of those proceed, will be paid $37,930 a year.
Copyright 2010 The Houston Chronicle Publishing Company