Chief to ramp up recruiting efforts
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on August 16, 2016 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro Police Department will ramp up efforts to recruit and retain officers through increased pay incentives, a pre-hiring program and the addition of new equipment.
Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West outlined the programs during a Goldsboro City Council work session Monday. The council agreed to move forward with the incentives.
"I think if you were to ask the majority of the citizens of Goldsboro, what's our number one need right now, they would tell you getting crime under control," said Councilman Gene Aycock. "We seem to be able to come up with money for our wants. We need to come up with money for our needs."
Aycock said the costs of the incentives would be absorbed within the police department budget due to the 18 vacancies that exist. West provided some of the potential costs, including $134,919 for career progression pay increases, $42,482 for officers with college degrees, a $53,000 cost for new surveillance cameras.
The addition of 12 surveillance cameras generated some discussion from the council, including where the cameras should be placed.
West said the department could purchase 12 cameras at a lower resolution of six megapixels for $40,000 or cameras with 20 megapixel resolution for $53,000.
"I would be pushing to get the highest resolution," said Councilman Mark Stevens. "We need to make sure these high resolution cameras need to be in the high crime areas."
West initially suggested the cameras be added to the downtown area. City Manager Scott Stevens said the downtown locations offer existing technology not available in other areas to operate the cameras.
Several council members said the cameras are needed in higher crime areas.
"We need cameras on Elm and Slocumb, Olivia and Slocumb, at Day Circle," Mayor Chuck Allen said. "We need cameras where all this stuff is happening now. To me, John and Center (streets) are the two least places we need cameras today.
"I want cameras next week where we're having people killed. That to me, ought to be our first focus."
Allen asked the police chief to put together a Governor's Crime Commission grant request for the equipment, in light of the state's recent focus on Goldsboro's unsolved murders and increased homicide activity this year.
"You need to come up with a plan of where we need cameras and what they cost and let's go to them and ask them and see if they're willing to help us as they say they are," Allen said. "Everybody's wanting to help us, so let's go get this help now."
The Governor's Crime Commission announced earlier this month a $25,000 grant award for gang suppression efforts. The grant will pay for a computer, in-car camera, body cameras and surveillance equipment, West said.
The city will also receive a a federal grant of about $20,000 that will pay for 27 body cameras, West said.
The council supported West's request to start a pre-hiring program that involves hiring potential officers before they enter a Basic Law Enforcement Training program.
West said the department hopes to pre-hire five to six applicants with the intent of enrolling them in a BLET program by January. Prior to employment, the applicants will go through a background check, firearm assessment and physical assessment.
Prior to becoming a trained police officer, the employees will receive a full city benefit package and be paid at 10 percent below the starting officer salary of $35,593, Stevens said. Officers hired through the program would be required to work for the city three years, Stevens said.
The pre-hiring effort is one of several programs designed to add officers to the force. The department has approximately 90 officers and 18 vacancies. West expects three retirements by the end of the year and possibly three more in 2017.
"It seems to me like we're so behind that how can we play catch-up?" Councilman Bevan Foster said. "We've got to come up with a plan that's going to be effective. To keep doing it the way we've been doing it just doesn't seem effective. We're not even competitive."
The city manager said efforts have been made to increase officer salaries and boost the department's car take-home program. Additional equipment, including rifles, shotguns, tasers and training opportunities, are all improving on-the-job conditions for officers.
The police department also added 10 new Dodge Chargers to its fleet this week. The new cars cost the city $422,000, West said.
The department is also expanding its recruiting efforts by forming an in-house recruitment committee and seeking new officers on university campuses.
The council also approved increased pay incentives for officers Monday.
Existing officers with an associate's degree will receive a 2.5 percent pay increase and officers with a bachelor's degree will receive a 2.5 percent pay increase.
Officers who receive specialized training combined with years of service will be also eligible for higher salaries. Pay increases of 2 percent will be provided to officers who receive specialized training at two, four and seven years of employment. All other officers, with specialized training, will receive a 3 percent pay increase.