Officer addresses turnover

A Portland police officer says compensation is the key factor leading to a high turnover rate within the department.

City council members say they have provided raises each year and have not denied any request that has come from the department.

The bulk of Monday’s Portland City Council meeting involved the discussion about police compensation after officer Patrick Long presented his concerns.

Long, who has worked as a full-time officer for the city for a year and has been with the department since 2018, told council that of the 11 road officers currently employed by the police department eight have been hired in the past year. (The department has a roster of 14 officers, with three of those positions considered as administrative.)

“I would say this is critical,” he said. “This is unsustainable.”

Two other officers are planning to leave the department soon, Long said, one for an annual salary of $64,000 — a 23% increase from the officers’ current rate — and the other of more than $75,000. He noted salaries of $62,000, with a take-home vehicle, for police in Hartford City, Montpelier and Ossian. (Council last month agreed to talk with police regarding a take-home vehicle policy, with a work session planned for that purpose.)

He said other officers are fielding offers to leave.

Long pointed out the cost of turnover — paying for Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and covering shifts while that training is being conducted — and the loss of camaraderie and leadership.

“If we continue to lose experienced officers, I worry about what the future of this department is going to look like … and how this is going to affect our department’s ability to serve the community,” he said. He also suggested considering longevity pay or a pay matrix.

Council member Matt Goldsworthy said raises have been made — council member Dave Golden later noted that the increases for city employees were 5% for 2023 and 4.5% for this year — and that the department has not been turned down for anything it has requested during his time on council. (Council last month approved nearly $150,000 for new police vehicles.)

“Since I’ve been on this council I’ve done everything to try to support you guys,” he said. “And yet I feel like it’s never enough.”

Council member Ashley Hilfiker asked, “How many are leaving currently because of pay but not because of issues internally?” She said she knows of departures that are not because of pay.

Kent McClung, council president, asked if exit interviews are held with departing officers. He also noted that the cost of the city’s health insurance premiums for employees has not gone up in 20 years.

Council members and Long also went back and forth on how the city’s pay compares to similar municipalities and details of past wage studies. Clerk-treasurer Lori Phillips noted that Accelerate Indiana Municipalities conducts an annual wage survey which should be available around June 1.

Council agreed to look at the pay rate for police officers through the city’s budget and salary ordinance process this year.

“I’m not your guys’ enemy,” said Goldsworthy. “I never have been. Actually I’ve always been one to always work with you guys.

“But what I want you guys to understand … our job is to try to manage everything. … The last thing we want to do is give you guys such a good raise — obviously we want to give you a good raise — but we don’t want to give you such a good raise that it’s not sustainable and now we need to say, ‘Patrick, sorry that you’ve got kids at home, but you don’t have a job anymore because we’ve got to cut back.’ There does become a point where we have to be smart with our money too and make sure the money’s there …”

Council also heard from Portland Park Board president Brian Ison regarding the installation of a heater at Portland Water Park.

He informed council that the park board accepted a gift of $60,739.50 from a local group led by Rob Weaver and Bev Arnold for the purchase of a heater for the water park. (Those funds have already been turned over to the city.) The goal is to have the heater in operation for the 2024 swim season.

Ison added that the fundraising group agreed to provide $5,000 to help with installation and related costs estimated at $10,212.38. The remainder will come from the park board’s budget.

He said the park board has looked at trying to get more utilization at the facility.

“Our biggest restriction has always been weather,” Ison said, adding that over the last few years temperatures have not been consistently in the mid 70s for the first several weeks of the season. (The facility typically opens on Memorial Day weekend.)

The park board’s policy requires that the outdoor temperature be at least 65 degrees to have the water park open. The goal is to have a water temperature in the 70s.

The first year of the heater being in place will be used to gauge the additional cost of operation, he said, estimating the number at $2,000 to $5,000 for the year. A budget increase may be needed to help cover those costs.

Golden thanked the park board for its efforts as well as all those involved in raising funds to purchase the heater.

In other business, council:

•Approved a change to the city ordinance adjusting the city council meeting time to 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month. The shift in the time of the meeting — council previously met at 7 p.m. — was made in practice in 2014 but the ordinance had not been modified to reflect the change. (Phillips noted that all proposed ordinances are now being posted on the city’s website — thecityofportland.net — prior to being voted on by council.)

•Goldsworthy thanked all those who were involved in sand bagging during last week’s heavy rain. Golden noted his appreciation for projects that have been completed in an effort to mitigate flooding, including last year’s addition of a new storm sewer line along Meridian Street in the downtown area.