Socorro City amends mental‑health leave policy to include telecommunicators

The Socorro City Civil Service Commission approved an amendment to Policy G‑11, extending the city’s mental‑health leave of absence to telecommunicators in addition to police officers, the commission voted at the meeting.

Carol Candelaria, the city’s human resources director, told commissioners the change adds telecommunicators to the existing Policy G‑11 "which is our mental health leave of absence for police officers. This is to include the telecommunication, communicators as pursuant to section 6 1 4 0 5 of the Texas Government Code." She said the amendment was discussed with the police chief and the city manager.

The amendment does not alter the policy’s other provisions, Candelaria said; it only expands eligibility. When asked whether telecommunicators would receive the same number of days and treatment under the mental‑health leave policy as officers, staff replied that the benefit would be equal to that available to officers.

Commissioners moved and seconded the item and recorded unanimous approval. Albert Ortiz, Carlos Ortiz, Alex Miranda and Claudia Olmos each voted yes. The motion was recorded as approving item number 7 on the agenda.

Why it matters: Telecommunicators handle emergency calls and related high‑stress incidents; including them in the mental‑health leave policy makes them formally eligible for the city’s existing leave benefit previously limited to sworn police officers. The transcript indicates the intent is parity of eligibility rather than changes to benefit amounts or administration.

Implementation notes: According to staff remarks, the policy language itself remains the same aside from adding telecommunicators; the amendment was reported as having been reviewed with the police chief and city manager. The commission moved on to the next agenda item after the vote.