When the Columbia Board of Aldermen meets next week, a likely topic of discussion will be hiring police officers and firefighters.
At the Aug. 15 meeting Fire Chief Jeff McKenzie and Police Chief Mike Cooper each hired part-time employees to help with the shortage, but both are seeking qualified applicants to fill several spots.
“We’re four patrolmen short,” Cooper said. “Everybody in law enforcement is short. At the last chief’s conference we had, that’s all we could talk about. It’s not like it was 20 years ago when you had folks lining up to get into law enforcement. There’s been a big change.”
Cooper said one problem is larger departments looking to the smaller ones for officers.
“Right now, we’re four short and just this week we’ve had Hattiesburg call on several of our officers,” he said. “More than likely, we will lose more. We’ve had five applicants put in for our jobs.”
Alderman-at-large Edward Hough asked Cooper about the city’s salaries as they related to officers leaving.
“How much more is Hattiesburg paying?” he asked.
“Money wise, probably $2 or $3 per hour more,” Cooper responded. “They have added benefits like take home cars and things like that.”
Ward 2 Alderman Jason Stringer followed Hough’s line of questioning.
“Do you think that’s the biggest reason people go somewhere else, is the pay?”
Cooper said the reasons were not solely pay.
“Equipment, training and then money,” he said. “We have officers leaving us to go across the street to the sheriff’s office, but they have take-home cars.”
Ward 1 Alderman Wendell Hammond said he understood.
“I get it,” he said. “Some of them drive a long way.”
Cooper said the city needs to look at ways to hire and retain officers.
“You can say let’s not look at that and hire folks for $8 an hour, but you’re going to get what you pay for,” he said. “You’ll go back to having lawsuits and problems.”
Mayor Justin McKenzie, a veteran law enforcement officer himself, spoke about the issue.
“The DA’s office sings the praises of our department now,” he said.
Stringer asked how many of the officers currently lived in town and was told only a handful of the city’s 28 (including administration) lived in the city.
Cooper said the CPD had been conducting interviews and testing candidates and would likely bring candidates for hire to the next meeting.
“I hope to have some for you then,” he said.
Chief McKenzie also said the CFD was accepting applications and testing currently. Columbia Fire currently has at least four openings due to recent retirements of senior staff members and promotions. He was recently named chief after the retirement of longtime chief Larry Ratliff. Ratliff and captains Tommy Graves and Terry Hamilton retired in June. Chief McKenzie and the Board recently approved the promotions of Nathan Guy, Reggie Crowther and Kenny Holloway to captain, leaving their lieutenant spots vacant.
The Board approved the hiring of Jared Evans or Monticello as a part-time firefighter and Jessie Ray Loftin III, a former state trooper, as a police officer.
The Columbia Board of Aldermen next meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
