Greenwood’s public safety departments are struggling to keep up with the city’s rapidly growing population, leaders say.
The police department is asking for three additional officers for 2019 as the number of runs the department is responding to continues to climb.
“Our city is growing by leaps and bounds, but our public safety departments are struggling to keep up. Runs are increasing every year, and we need to meet that demand,” Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers said.
In 2017, Greenwood police responded to 31,092 calls, up more than 4 percent from 2016, according to the department’s annual reports. They averaged 85 calls a day in 2017, up from 82 in 2016.
This addition would bring the total number of patrol officers on the street to 53, and the total number of officers, including the chief, his assistant chiefs, sergeants and lieutenants, to 67. The new officers would make almost $48,000 in 2019.
In preparing next year’s budget to propose to the city council, the mayor’s staff highlighted five areas as priorities: public safety, infrastructure, operational excellence, economic development and quality of life. Public safety continues to top the list and is expected to take up 38 percent of the total budget, because those departments are extremely understaffed, Myers said.
The city council is considering the entire 2019 budget, which was presented to council members in two parts, starting in August. It must pass two separate votes by the council before it is approved. Council members will cast their first vote at the next meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at city hall, 300 S. Madison Avenue.
Police Chief John Laut said he has about one officer for every 1,000 residents, which is well below national recommendations.
“When you see runs stacking up on the slate, yeah it’s just a sign of the times, but we also need to do something about it,” Laut said.
The department’s response times are lengthening, he said.
They are also seeing an increase in traffic accidents and violations because of the several road projects underway throughout the city, he said.
Of all 911 calls in Johnson County, Greenwood police take most of them. Greenwood police responded to 35 percent of all calls last year in the county, most being for suspicious persons and circumstances and citizen assists, according to the annual report. They also responded to more than 2,400 traffic accidents last year, according to the report.
Greenwood’s population is one the rise and has been for years now. The population was estimated at 57,000 in 2017, up from 46,000 a decade ago. But Laut and Myers say the police force isn’t growing at the same pace.
“Actually we’re trying to catch up, not keep up. If we were to go by recommended staffing, we would have about 130 officers,” Laut said.
“I also think it’s important that everyone realize our population can double or even triple during holidays. Greenwood is a destination city.”
Residents still expect the police to be vigilant in their neighborhoods too, and respond to complaints about parking and speeding violations, he said. The department has added Police Connects, which allows residents to make non-emergency reports online. That has curbed some of those calls, but they still get them, he said.
“We’re trying to get (police) in to patrol the neighborhoods as much as possible,” Laut said. “When I came on back in the 1980’s we were right sized and could sit in a neighborhood for 30 minutes at a time and watch for speeding drivers. We just can’t do that anymore.”
The department hopes that by continuing to add officers, it can continue to lighten the workload and cover more ground, Laut said.
The police department would increase its total budget by nearly 8 percent — to $6.5 million from $5.9 million. They also want to spend $40,000 on new SWAT bullet proof vests, add five new police cars and buy new public safety radios.
The fire department is also asking for additional manpower. It hopes to add three full-time positions, which officials say will replace six part-time positions, and increase the pay for part-time firefighters. The city court and probation office would each add an additional staff member as well. The legal department is asking to raise salaries for the assistant city attorney, deferral coordinator and office manager because their workloads have increased, officials said.
Overall, city staff would grow to 277 from 263 if the budget is approved by the council. A five-year plan shows the city hopes to grow its staff by 23 percent by 2024.
The total budget proposal for 2019 is estimated at $36.5 million.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers and his staff want to add several new positions as the city’s population continues to grow. Here is a look at the proposed new jobs:
- Add three police officers
- Add three full-time firefighters in place of six part-time
- Add two street laborers
- Add one community development position
- Add one city court position
- Add one probation position
- Add one parks position
- Increase salaries and wages for employees as cost-of-living rises
[sc:pullout-text-end]
