December 16, 2021 |
The Saratoga Police Department continues to experience problems recruiting new officers and dispatchers. The issue came up during last week’s town council meeting.
Police Chief Lehr requested permission to hire one individual for dispatch. At one time, the town had six dispatchers to work the schedule. Only three are on duty now, meaning the dispatch center is unmanned during some hours.
Mayor Pro Tem Ben Spaulding, sitting in for an absent Creed James, asked about hiring and training more than one candidate to fill in the gaps.
Training might take two months. Dispatchers, like police officers, also have to be certified by the state. The next certification cycle is in April. Spaulding worried that the dispatch team might reach a burnout point if their ranks aren’t replenished. One of the three dispatchers was out recently with an illness, leaving only two for duty. When Chief Lehr said one other candidate applied for the job, council members Jon Nelson and D’Ron Campbell asked about training two people at the same time to speed up the process.
Mayor Pro Tem Spaulding, who serves at the council’s liaison to the police department, recommended hiring two dispatch candidates and staggering their training between day and night shifts over a four-month period until being certified in April. Councilman Nelson said the council is frustrated by the pace of solving problems on the force.
Another area frustrating council is the failure to hire another police officer. Lehr updated council on one officer candidate who had expressed interest in coming to Saratoga. That person has not returned phone calls or emails, Chief Lehr said. Recruiting is a problem across the state, he said.
Of the six officer candidates, the top pick failed a background check. The second was not returning follow-up calls. The chief said he would continue to recruit from the remaining names on the list. The chief and Sergeant Tyler Christen are picking up most shifts.
An officer hired earlier this year has been on medical leave for a month. Two part-time officers are filling in as needed, the chief said in response to a question from Bigfoot 99. Town council approved a motion to hire two dispatch candidates and train them simultaneously.
Town of Saratoga Employment Opportunities
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