Board approves memorandum to give lateral police hires prior‑service credit for new hires starting Jan. 1, 2025

The La Porte City Board of Public Works and Safety on a voice vote approved a memorandum of understanding to allow lateral police hires to receive credit for prior years of service when they are hired by the department, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Supporters said the change will help the city recruit experienced officers by matching what neighboring departments offer. Chief Buell said the department recently hired officers with varying experience levels, and offering service credit makes La Porte more competitive. "To be competitive, to be able to attract these individuals, we have to be competitive with the other departments nearby," Chief Buell said.

Clerk Treasurer Partoon and other finance staff pressed for clarity on how the change will be implemented in payroll and budgeting. The board agreed the memorandum will apply to new lateral hires beginning Jan. 1, 2025. The Clerk Treasurer’s Office and the police department were directed to calculate the budgetary impact and return with details for current officers who might be eligible for adjustments. The board explicitly declined to authorize retroactive pay for prior years; officials said any changes for incumbent officers would start prospectively and be reconciled through a follow‑up process.

Members discussed several implementation details: how years of prior service will be certified for payroll records, the likely effect on Medicare and other payroll lines, and whether the change would increase salary and longevity costs. The Clerk Treasurer asked departments to provide documentation of prior service for each lateral hire to support audit records. Chief Buell estimated the immediate longevity bump for the department could be in the tens of thousands of dollars and noted the cost would have to be accommodated within the police budget.

The motion to approve the memorandum for new hires beginning Jan. 1, 2025 passed on a voice vote. Board members also agreed the police department and Clerk Treasurer’s Office will prepare figures and a plan to address adjustments for current officers and return to the board with recommendations.

The board chair closed discussion after members emphasized the need to balance recruitment goals with audit and budget requirements and set a near‑term follow up to supply the requested financial details.