FEBRUARY 7, 2025|
Photo – RPD patch and badge – Courtesy City of Rawlins
The Rawlins Police Chief discussed the challenges of running his short-staffed department during this week’s city council meeting.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked for a report on recent crimes that had occurred in the city.
Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward informed Councilwoman Lewman that he is unable to provide specific details about ongoing investigations.
First, Chief Ward addressed the robbery that occurred at the Stinker Store on the city’s east side last month. The police chief explained that robberies are very uncommon in Rawlins and the suspect likely was in the city only long enough to commit the crime before fleeing.
Chief Ward said the suspect is unlikely to be a resident of the city and therefore difficult to catch.
The police chief then addressed the burglary at the Brickyard Inn, saying 39-year-old Diana Ray has been arrested in connection with the incident. However, a second suspect, believed to be a male based on security camera footage, remains at large.
On Friday, January 24th, a fight broke out across the street from the City Hall. The incident involved an adult male and two minor females. Chief Ward said that contrary to comments on social media, which stated that the adult male was not cited, all three people involved in the incident were charged. The case was turned over to the County Prosecutor’s office.
Councilwoman Lewman asked Chief Ward to describe the staffing issues his department is facing. Chief Ward said that his department will soon be reduced to just three officers.
Chief Ward described his department as “holding its own” despite the staffing issue. He also admitted that his officers and staff are worn thin. Given the department’s staffing shortage, the police chief said command staff is patrolling the city rather than performing normal administrative duties.
Given the staffing issue, Chief Ward said he can only have two officers on patrol in the city at one time. If one of those officers makes an arrest, the remaining officer may be on their own for several hours.
Vice Mayor Darril Garner asked Chief Ward if he could coordinate with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office to provide temporary support to the city. Chief Ward said the sheriff’s department is also short staffed, with roughly 20 deputies tasked with covering a county nearly the same size as New Jersey. Chief Ward said the only solution to his department’s staffing issues is to attract more officers by increasing base pay. The police chief added that all city employees receive lower compensation compared to what they would earn in other municipalities.
Chief Ward acknowledged that Wyoming’s lower cost of living, and lack of a state income tax helps compensate for the lower salaries. However, the police chief said neighboring cities are offering significantly higher starting wages for the officers.
Chief Ward said he has been focusing on recruiting officers from other states. The police chief explained that a lateral transfer, as it’s called, doesn’t require the officer to undergo the normally required three-month police academy training.
The Rawlins city council did not specially address Chief Ward’s request to increase his officer’s pay. However, the governing body has discussed the need to raise employee salaries and may take action on city salaries during upcoming budget talks if finances allow.
