Seat Pleasant asks staff for two-month plan to retain police staffing amid turnover

Interim City Manager Harris told the Seat Pleasant City Council on July 7 that the city is seeing police turnover and asked the police department to present a hiring and retention strategy to preserve 24-hour coverage. Harris said several officers "have received the opportunities at other municipalities," and asked for a plan the council could review within roughly two months.

Council members responded that retention may require higher pay and other steps. Council member Love said, "If we pay them some more money, we'll keep them," urging the council to consider compensation as a retention tool. The transcript shows council members proposing that the matter be addressed first by the Public Safety Committee and then by Government Affairs and Finance to evaluate operational and fiscal implications.

Harris said the city has a compensation study under consideration and noted government affairs staff were assisting with retention-related work. He also reported operational items including road-repair bids for Greg Street and onboarding of a new HR manager, but emphasized the immediate concern that turnover could affect 24-hour police coverage.

Councilman McCurney asked about exit-survey access; Harris said a policy exists for exit interviews but that he had not completed them and would follow up. The council requested a strategy or campaign from the police department — whether led by Public Safety or Government Affairs — and asked that proposals reach decision-makers in roughly two months so the city can preserve coverage.

No formal vote or ordinance was recorded on staffing at the meeting; the transcript records direction to staff to produce a hiring/retention strategy and for committees to convene to consider compensation and fiscal impact.