Council members cited the need for more officers on the street rather than an additional administrator with a salary and benefits for about $170,000 annually.
City Manager Paul Lolli said council was considering passage of the new position as an amendment to the pay and benefits ordinance. In the future council would still have to give final approval for the budgeting and hiring of the candidate.
Lolli said because of retirements and resignation “we are in a situation” where the police department will have “people moving up from sergeant immediately to executive police positions. Bringing in a public safety director may be of benefit, especially in the police division.”
He pointed to 2015 when he was became fire chief and Rodney Muterspaw was made police chief on the same day. Former Police Chief David VanArsdale was hired a public safety director for a two-year period.
“It benefited me greatly,” Lolli said, adding going for the street to administrative duties, including budget, can be challenging.
“I have the utmost confidence in those coming through the ranks,” Lolli said, but he said in recent years the department budget has been lean, which includes lack of police executive training programs.
Councilman Steve West said the feedback he has gotten for citizens is a “no” hiring a public safety director.
“At this time, I can’t support it,” West said. “I am elected to represent the voices in the community, and I am going with what I am hearing from the community.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Councilman Zack Ferrell said nearly two additional police officers or firefighters could be hired for the salary and benefits of a public safety director.
“We are a city right now of need and not a city of want, If this becomes a need, I am willing to approve this and put it in ... but the higher want is to get more people in the street,” Ferrell said.
Mayor Elizabeth Slamka agreed.
“People are not necessarily wanting this, and I do have to say it does seem that what we need right now are officers on the streets, and I think the is the priority for me personally,” Slamka said.
This week the department’s one lieutenant and six of the 10 sergeants were to begin a two-week testing process for the position of deputy chief. Acting Police Chief Eric Crank, who was a deputy chief until Birk was placed on leave in December, will retire on April 19. The testing is for that open deputy chief position.
Lolli said Andy Warrick, now deputy chief, will become acting chief when Crank departs until testing for the new position is conducted and completed.
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