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West Memphis Fire, Police launch retention initiative

West Memphis Fire, Police launch retention initiative

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City department heads want to reduce turnover

By John Rech

news@theeveningtimes.com

The West Memphis Police and Fire Departments told city council the revolving door of employee turnover was too expensive. Costs related to advertising openings and testing, training and equipping new hires and paying overtime to staff vacant positions has been so high the departments plans to pay retention bonuses.

Assistant Police Chief Robert Langston explained the details during the police department budget hearing with city council on Monday.

Langston’s cost/benefit analysis showed the savings in overtime expense would pay for the financial incentives aimed at retaining experienced officers.

“We talked to the Fire Department about it and their will duplicate ours,” said Langston.

Under the plan incentives are earned based on time on the job, law enforcement, fire and medical, and instructor certifications, plus college or military experience.

Fire Chief Dennis Brewer indicated the incentives would not only increase staff retention but also encourage employees to strive toward career advancement.

“It’s going to work out great giving incentives to advance,” said Brewer.

“You won’t want to be just a 25-year hose-man or driver. If you are diligent in training and education then your going to get some more money.”

Langston said turnover related expenses drove the need for an incentive package.

“We’ve lost an average of 17 officers per year the last few years, out of an 87 member department,” said Langston. “Replacing an officer is 14 weeks of training and another eight weeks in field officer training. It’s 22 weeks from the time we hire them that they are on the streets and helping the city. The initial training and equipment cost $21,560 or $36,600 per year for 17 officers.”

Being short staff forces overtime and reduces staffing for focused crime prevention efforts. The Violent Crime Suppression unit worked to take hundreds of illegal guns off the street and curbed gang activity last year.

“Under staffing prohibits specialized unit assignments which hinders making and impact on violent crime and property crime,” said Langston.

The police department demonstrated an experience gap in its ranks. The most experienced seven officers have logged more years on the job than the next 67 combined.

“Our most experienced seven officers have a total of 189 years of police experience, while our newest 65 officers have 188 years of service,” said Langston.

Langston aimed at cutting hiring needs in half and running the city police academy for one class this year instead of two like the city has done for the last three years.

Requirements for a police department basic $50 bonus paid three times per year required a year on the job. Other bonuses were bracketed upward based on length of tenure, and training achievement. Langston projected current costs for the proposed police department incentives at $191,000 per year. Last year overtime payroll to back fill vacant positions amounted to $250,000.

Assistant Fire Chief DeWayne Rose said the bonus incentive package from the fire department would mirror that of the police department.

“We’ll weave public safety together, police and fire,” said Rose. “Ours will be a lateral program to the police department.”

City Council will consider the retention incentives as part of the 2020 budget ordinance.

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