Hobbs Discusses Police Issues During Milford Town Council Meeting
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By John DeGroff-
Town Marshal Dave Hobbs presented several items of police business. According to Hobbs, police department scheduling problems, along with vacations that need to be taken before year's end, have caused what could amount to a manpower shortage. One officer also will be going on leave, which takes the department down to two full-time officers and only a few reserve officers.
"My recommendation," said Hobbs, "is to put our part-time officers back on schedule. We use them time to time in different areas. Right now ... we're looking in the neighborhood of 38 hours, for last week and this next weekend. For the rest of the month, we'll have to see when we're going to get more people back."
Hobbs told the council that one long-term remedy for the manpower problem would be to find more applicants for the reserve program. Reserve officers are unpaid volunteers, and the training they receive lasts about four months. Currently, the department has only two new applicants under consideration. Several reserve officers from the Milford Police Department also have moved on to positions with other law enforcement agencies in the area.
"This is probably the first year we've had this problem," Hobbs said. "We've trained them, then they get hired by other departments because of the training they've received here.
"What I'd like for now is to pay the reserves we have, to cover the time until the end of the years. This will take roughly 78 hours, to cover for that time."
The council did approve reserve officer pay of $17.50 per hour, up to 80 hours, through the end of the year. There also was some discussion regarding moving some unpaid reserves to part-time status eventually, but for now the issue has yet to be resolved.
The police department also sought approval from the council to accept a grant of $1,198 from K-Code, a law enforcement funding agency. This money would be used to purchase two new power shot cameras for the vehicles, and a new tazer. The council approved the grant.
Hobbs said the department's 2004 Chevy has been experiencing transmission problems. In spite of $2,000 worth of recent repairs, the problems persists and Hobbs asked for approval to start taking bids for a new vehicle. The council granted the request.
The council reviewed a letter written by town attorney Jay Rigdon to Charles Poe.
Poe is the owner of the property at 310 E. Williams St., which includes a mobile home meant to originally be only a temporary structure. Poe has asked for an extension regarding the mobile home, which was granted. He wanted time to finish work on another structure on the property and needed the mobile home, which would then be moved when the job was complete. However, work was never completed and the deadline was missed and the mobile home is no longer in compliance, and is not being lived in.
According to Rigdon, the town now has the option of contracting a third party for its removal. To accomplish this, the structure would have to be tagged as scrap. While the council did not set a date to have this done, the issue is close to being resolved.
New appointments for the Milford Fire Department were announced. They are: Troy Haines, fire chief; Mitch Price and Brian Haines, assistant fire chiefs; Dave Rosenberry, secretary; Rodney Bray, treasurer; Jon Hare and Todd Haines, training officers.
The council approved an ordinance setting the compensation rate for Milford town employees for 2008. On average, a 3 percent increase will begin. Council members will receive $4,500 per year.
In other business:
- The council approved the EMS contract, at $4,500 quarterly.
- The council discussed making Catherine Street from Main Street to Ind. 15 a no parking zone on Monday through Saturday. The plan was not approved at this time, but will be considered further after the first of the year.
- The accounts payable voucher register for December was approved.
- It also was announced that the Milford Town Hall has finally been paid for and is officially town property. Corresponding paperwork will be filed soon.
Milford Town Council members are Gary Hurd, Robert Cockburn and Douglas Ruch[[In-content Ad]]
Town Marshal Dave Hobbs presented several items of police business. According to Hobbs, police department scheduling problems, along with vacations that need to be taken before year's end, have caused what could amount to a manpower shortage. One officer also will be going on leave, which takes the department down to two full-time officers and only a few reserve officers.
"My recommendation," said Hobbs, "is to put our part-time officers back on schedule. We use them time to time in different areas. Right now ... we're looking in the neighborhood of 38 hours, for last week and this next weekend. For the rest of the month, we'll have to see when we're going to get more people back."
Hobbs told the council that one long-term remedy for the manpower problem would be to find more applicants for the reserve program. Reserve officers are unpaid volunteers, and the training they receive lasts about four months. Currently, the department has only two new applicants under consideration. Several reserve officers from the Milford Police Department also have moved on to positions with other law enforcement agencies in the area.
"This is probably the first year we've had this problem," Hobbs said. "We've trained them, then they get hired by other departments because of the training they've received here.
"What I'd like for now is to pay the reserves we have, to cover the time until the end of the years. This will take roughly 78 hours, to cover for that time."
The council did approve reserve officer pay of $17.50 per hour, up to 80 hours, through the end of the year. There also was some discussion regarding moving some unpaid reserves to part-time status eventually, but for now the issue has yet to be resolved.
The police department also sought approval from the council to accept a grant of $1,198 from K-Code, a law enforcement funding agency. This money would be used to purchase two new power shot cameras for the vehicles, and a new tazer. The council approved the grant.
Hobbs said the department's 2004 Chevy has been experiencing transmission problems. In spite of $2,000 worth of recent repairs, the problems persists and Hobbs asked for approval to start taking bids for a new vehicle. The council granted the request.
The council reviewed a letter written by town attorney Jay Rigdon to Charles Poe.
Poe is the owner of the property at 310 E. Williams St., which includes a mobile home meant to originally be only a temporary structure. Poe has asked for an extension regarding the mobile home, which was granted. He wanted time to finish work on another structure on the property and needed the mobile home, which would then be moved when the job was complete. However, work was never completed and the deadline was missed and the mobile home is no longer in compliance, and is not being lived in.
According to Rigdon, the town now has the option of contracting a third party for its removal. To accomplish this, the structure would have to be tagged as scrap. While the council did not set a date to have this done, the issue is close to being resolved.
New appointments for the Milford Fire Department were announced. They are: Troy Haines, fire chief; Mitch Price and Brian Haines, assistant fire chiefs; Dave Rosenberry, secretary; Rodney Bray, treasurer; Jon Hare and Todd Haines, training officers.
The council approved an ordinance setting the compensation rate for Milford town employees for 2008. On average, a 3 percent increase will begin. Council members will receive $4,500 per year.
In other business:
- The council approved the EMS contract, at $4,500 quarterly.
- The council discussed making Catherine Street from Main Street to Ind. 15 a no parking zone on Monday through Saturday. The plan was not approved at this time, but will be considered further after the first of the year.
- The accounts payable voucher register for December was approved.
- It also was announced that the Milford Town Hall has finally been paid for and is officially town property. Corresponding paperwork will be filed soon.
Milford Town Council members are Gary Hurd, Robert Cockburn and Douglas Ruch[[In-content Ad]]
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