The Jefferson Police Department is starting to feel pressure to find qualified applicants to be officers.

Police Chief Mark Clouse says former officer Patrick Gerhardt ended his employment with the police department this past Sunday and has joined the Webster County Sheriff’s office. He points out that he could face two more officer openings to start next year. Due to that situation, Clouse and Captain Heath Enns gave a staff retention and incentive presentation to the City Council at their regular meeting last week.

One incentive that was pitched was a student loan repayment program. An officer who has a college degree in criminal justice could receive up to $200 per month of student loan debt paid off for their initial four-year contract. Clouse stipulated that if an officer decides to leave prior to fulfilling their four-year contract, the amount that was paid by the City to their student loan debt, would need to be paid back to the City. Another incentive was a $2,000 signing bonus to help with moving expenses or to get an officer through until they get their first paycheck.

Clouse pointed out that surrounding agencies have higher average salaries, thus making their departments seem more attractive than the Jefferson Police Department. Clouse noted that his department’s average salary is $43,640, compared to Perry PD’s $46,145, Carroll PD’s $48,712 and Boone PD’s $57,641. Clouse mentioned that by raising the base salary even by $5,000, it would make his department more competitive with the surrounding agencies. He says smaller community’s police departments have been used as “stepping-stones” for an officer’s career, where they will move on after their initial contract is up to a bigger community. But now, Clouse adds, there’s another trend.

“In today’s age, they’re (newly hired officers) are not fulfilling those contracts. Other agencies are paying out their contracts. It’s cheaper for them to pay the City of Jefferson that investment money back (and) they get a fully trained guy ready to roll.”

Following the presentation to the Council, City Administrator Mike Palmer talked about what the potential next steps could be, knowing that the City is in the middle of the current fiscal year. “The City Council would have to decide whether they want to amend the budget to add these things in. The law enforcement committee is going to talk it over some more. It always comes down to dollars and cents unfortunately. But there are some really good ideas out there on how to do this.”

To hear more from Clouse about this and other law enforcement topics, listen to today’s Community State Bank in Paton Let’s Talk Greene County program.