Paper work is 'drowning' police

Whitefish’s Police Department currently

has vacancies for two officer positions, but the Law Enforcement

Fund in the 2012 city budget calls for filling only one of those

slots — setting the force at 15 total sworn officers.

Police Chief Bill Dial is requesting an

additional office manager instead of the second police officer. He

says a clerical worker would relieve sworn officers from lengthy

paper work, helping them get back on the street sooner and more

often. It would be the equivalent of adding a second officer,

according to Dial.

“We are drowning and the paper work is

stacking up,” Dial said at the May 9 budget work session. “We are

behind in all administration areas.”

The city will delay filling such a

position for a year.

“We would not recruit or hire for that

position until we are satisfied that our financial condition is

good enough to add the staff.”

Mayor Mike Jenson noted at the meeting

that he’d like to see a clerical person hired “sooner than

later.”

The lower level of staffing at 15 sworn

officers still keeps the city within the bounds of the 2006

Emergency Services Plan because Census numbers show Whitefish’s

population lower than previously projected growth.

• The Police Department 2012 budget

shows increases of more than $13,000, due to hiring one officer, an

office clerk and pay raises.

• The Police Association has indicated

they will re-open their collective bargaining agreement for

negotiations and that they would like to delay until 2014 a 2

percent step pay increase that is due to them.

• The police department budget shows

the potential for $8,000 in revenue from a bullet proof vest grant.

Dial says the vests have about a five-year shelf life and need to

be replaced accordingly.

• The department has significantly

reduced overtime expenses by using 12 hour shifts. Dial says one of

his biggest challenges is staffing for 24-hours service. He tries

to keep two officers on during the day shift and three at

night.

• A new Ford Explorer has been

purchased for the department. Police vehicles accumulate about

75,000 miles a year. Dial says they like the gas mileage of their

hybrid vehicle, but that there are problems when transferring large

prisoners.