Since most shifts are running at 2/3 capacity and force overtime is not allowed by contract, the department has agreed with to increase overtime pay to double time to help alleviate staffing shortages. The proposal is on the Mayor's desk waiting to be signed.
2/3rds capacity sounds like an increase for you. Sounds like the hiring is working and you are slowly replenishing the ranks. That's good, on a silver lining note. Not, perhaps, as good as it should be, but taken what can be gotten, sounds positive.
Posted by: Pax | July 20, 2023 at 04:53 AM
@Pax, running/staffing at 2/3s capacity is depressing. Granted, I've been gone for three years. When I was there, even if we were only 1 or 2 below minimums, it was demoralizing, especially if the 1 or 2 open districts were adjoining your district. Logging on to see 20+ calls holding (leftover from dayshift, I worked afternoons), some of those holding calls could be in my district, some of those calls could be in the open adjoining district. You feel like your already in a hole when you start your shift and the calls keep coming.
Even with the new hires, there is still the loss of people retiring or resigning. Plus 25-30% of the new hires don't make probation. So the department is barely making any headway in gains. The state still lacks capacity to fit the newly hired officers into an academy slot for six months down the road. Those warehoused new hires are not doing police work The spin by the dept and the mayor (police commissioner) is smoke and mirrors.
It's not just the grunts resigning. Command staff is also resigning. It used to be (pre-2020) that command staff would retire from our dept, then start a second police career as command staff or chief at another agency. Now, even the command staff who are not eligible to retire (2-5 years short of retirement eligibility) are applying for other depts, then resigning (not retiring) from our dept. What does that say about the dept when command staff leave before retiring...???
The double time pay to work OT is a desperation move by the dept to get officers to work OT. Even the officers who like to work OT are getting burnt out. There families (spouses/kids) are not happy. It causes problems in their personal lives. There's a belief that in the LE world the divorce rate is 80%+.
I was never one to work OT if I didn't have to (ordered). To be honest, I have to prioritize my family obligations first. If I was still working, I still wouldn't work OT for double time pay.
Straight Pipe (ret'd)
Posted by: Straight Pipe | July 22, 2023 at 09:23 AM
I know that staffing has been an issue for a while now, and it puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on you all.
How much of the shortage now is a result of the politics of the “defund” movement vs the continuous “cut spending” politics vs lack of applicants and attrition?
Posted by: Erysimum | July 23, 2023 at 02:10 PM
@straight pipe: it is depressing, I know, but I was trying to "silver lining" it for RD.
And, I do feel that RD's posts seem slightly more upbeat that they were during the 2020 difficulties. I really hope they continue in that direction.
Regarding hiring, I know I tried to contact HR regarding hiring and they didn't bother replying with more than an automated message. I'm not sure that I could even meet requirements, but if my experience is similar to others, I would imagine that HR being unhelpful would certainly hinder the hiring process.
Posted by: Pax | July 24, 2023 at 03:34 PM
Well said Straight Pipe
Hope you're enjoying retirement.
Posted by: Romans832 | July 25, 2023 at 08:49 AM