Spanish Fort PD experiencing nationwide law enforcement hiring shortage - NBC 15 WPMI
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WPMI) — Nationwide law enforcement hiring woes are impacting agencies on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Baldwin County's population is booming, traffic is increasing, and so is the demand on first responders.
The growth has made finding highly qualified officers even more important for local law enforcement agencies like the Spanish Fort Police Department.
"When you have a small department, hiring personnel is one of the most crucial things that you can do. So, we're very selective on who we hire. We wait for that right applicant to come in here," said Spanish Fort Police Chief John Barber.
Chief Barber said the shortage in officer candidates is the worse he's seen in his career of more than 20 years.
According to Barber, the department is seeking two officers right now, but like other agencies across the country, it's tough finding good candidates.
"This is an extremely difficult job. Men and women lose their lives trying to protect others," Chief Barber said, "But the national narrative that police are bad, and that we're doing things wrong, it adds a lot to a job that's already got a great amount of stress."
The pandemic hasn't made things easier.
Despite offering nearly $21 an hour, Chief Barber said he's competing with private sector jobs willing to pay more.
It's a situation that recently caused him to lose at least one long-standing officer within the department.
"The last year and a half with the pandemic, the private sector is able to shift very quickly. Wages are going up tremendously with inflation. We have to be more creative to attract people into this profession as a whole," said Chief Barber.
The shortage isn't impacting service though, Chief Barber said, because other officers have stepped up.
"We're filling gaps where we need to with overtime, and with other officers in other assignments. It's a calling to do this job. It's something you do because you want to serve your community," Chief Barber added.
Chief Barber says the need will likely only increase. He hopes discussions are had within state government about how to incentivize people to join law enforcement and make it a career.
source: https://mynbc15.com/news/local/spanish-fort-pd-experiencing-nationwide-law-enforcement-hiring-shortage
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