Small towns are losing cops because most of the veterans are after higher salaries and better retirement benefits. Many agencies are having trouble in finding their replacements. This poses a problem for the police chiefs in states like Utah. Due to the shortage of talented and qualified cops, the police chiefs are ready to train police officers that meets lower requirements.
The Cut in Retirement Benefits
One of the reasons why the veterans are leaving their current jobs and moving to larger agencies is that they seek better retirement benefits. Mike Smith, who serves as the Pleasant Grove Police Chief recently admitted that the pension for law enforcement personnel used to be 50% after a person served for 20 years. Now, it’s just 37% and that is after a service of 25 years. This scenario has forced the experienced police officers to seek jobs with larger agencies that can pay better.
Problems of Police Chiefs
Smith also stated that these changes have become a challenge for police chiefs as they need to fill the ranks with qualified officers. The agencies are so desperate that they are giving a chance to candidates they would have disqualified a couple of years back. He has also curtailed his expectations. He is now willing to find good people as candidates and train them into good cops. The police chiefs are also spending a lot of time in ensuring that they review the applications of candidates and conduct their interviews.
The Facts
The Pleasant Grove Police Department has been constantly struggling to keep 27 officers on their full-time staff. As soon as they had reached the full capacity, they got the news that 4 of their people would leave them to join a bigger agency. So, now they again have to hunt up replacements for the officers who are leaving their jobs soon.
Other communities are suffering too
Pleasant Grove is not just the only community who is dealing with the problem of losing police officers due to low salaries and retirement benefits. American Fork Police Department is also dealing with the same problem. One of their spokespeople recently confessed that their officers have shifted to the Unified Police Department. When asked about the reason for why they were leaving, the officers stated that the current environment was like musical chairs and that they expected better retirement benefits.
