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Police chief urges pay and hiring incentives after staffing shortfalls; officers press council for competitive pay
Summary
Freeport Police Department leaders and the Freeport Police Officers Association outlined staffing shortages, rising overtime and recruitment challenges, asking council for a 5.5% cost-of‑living adjustment across the pay matrix, overtime increases, sign-on bonuses and academy reimbursement to retain and recruit officers.
Freeport — Police leadership presented a staffing and compensation package at the council’s special meeting, saying the department faces chronic vacancies and growing overtime that threaten service levels.
Chief presentation: The police chief told council the department currently faces a shortfall of several sworn positions and begins each fiscal year with an overtime deficit because holiday pay and event coverage push officers over overtime thresholds. The chief said local agencies are competing aggressively for recruits and that Freeport has fallen “several dollars behind” neighboring departments; he requested a 5.5%…
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