Fort Pierce review finds staffing, training and evidence-handling gaps; commissioners call for rapid follow-up

A consultant hired by the City of Fort Pierce found the police department understaffed, pressed by higher-than-expected workload and turnover, and using several processes that the consultant says should be modernized.

The final "Police Operations and Data Analysis Report" by the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM) recommended changes ranging from pay-and-retention reviews to replacing some sworn positions with civilian staff, modernizing policies and procedures, improving training and clarifying evidence-handling procedures.

CPSM reviewed calls-for-service data and department organization, interviewed staff and compared Fort Pierce to nearby agencies. The consultant, Michael J. Jones (CPSM), told the commission the department should set minimum patrol staffing levels (a CPSM recommendation: 15 sworn officers per shift as a baseline) and said retention has become a national problem with local effects. "From the very first of the hiring process until an officer is fully trained to go solo in the field is usually about 9 months to a year and it could cost almost a hundred thousand dollars," Jones said.

Why it matters: commissioners said the findings intersect with public safety, city reputation and budgeting priorities. Commissioner Chris Taylor stated he had reached a conclusion after the presentation: "I'm ready for a change in our management at the police department." Commissioner Broderick proposed a special commission meeting to address the report's findings and funding options.

What the report found (high-level) - Staffing and retention: CPSM documented elevated turnover and recommended a market comparison of pay and recruitment incentives; the report noted agencies in the region are offering larger hiring and lateral bonuses. - Patrol staffing: CPSM recommended minimum squad staffing levels (15 officers per shift, with 17 preferred in some analyses) to reduce response gaps and enable sustained enforcement. Department leaders said community policing and response demands already strain the patrol force; Deputy Chief Kenny Norris told the commission the department handled roughly 100,000 calls for service over the prior year and is short dozens of officers. - Civilianization: CPSM identified locations where sworn time could be shifted to civilian employees (property/evidence processing, information technology support and other technical roles) to return sworn officers to field duties. - Policies, procedures and training: CPSM found several policies out of date and recommended a centralized, modern policy platform (for example Lexipol or an equivalent), plus more formal supervisor and leadership development, and regular, measurable training and succession planning. - Evidence handling: CPSM and department leaders agreed the evidence/property room and chain-of-custody processes needed review and modernization after a documented mishandling that the department has been remediating. Major Eric Chan described the recent hiring of a civilian evidence technician and additional oversight steps; the department said a sworn officer currently oversees evidence while the civilian position is brought up to speed.

Department response and immediate steps Chief Linda Hudson and her command staff presented an implementation-first approach: commanders outlined actions already underway, including policy reviews, supervisory training, expansion of field-training capacity and the recent hiring of a civilian in the evidence unit. Chief Hudson said professional standards, training and operational restructuring were active priorities.

Deputy Chief Norris said the department has implemented updated K-9 policy and was improving how time spent on reports is recorded in the CAD/RMS systems. Major Michael Santiago (Support Services) described recruitment and training work: a renewed recruiting pipeline, a quarterly supervisory training schedule, a renewed field-training officer (FTO) program and efforts to leverage local training resources.

Requests from commissioners and next steps Commissioners requested a formal management response for each recommendation with prioritized corrective actions and an implementation timeline. Commissioner Broderick urged a special public meeting dedicated to police operations and resourcing; the commission directed staff to schedule follow-up sessions and to bring back a prioritized corrective-action plan tied to likely budget impacts.

Quotations from the meeting "From the very first of the hiring process until an officer is fully trained to go solo in the field is usually about 9 months to a year and it could cost almost a hundred thousand dollars," CPSM consultant Michael Jones said. "The police department is in crisis," Commissioner Broderick said during the commission discussion and called for an immediate, focused review. "I'm ready for a change in our management at the police department," Commissioner Taylor said in a public statement after the CPSM briefing.

Ending note Department leaders said they will produce a management response to the CPSM report listing: (a) which recommendations they accept, (b) which actions are already underway, (c) a prioritized corrective-action plan with estimated costs, and (d) a timeline. Commissioners requested that plan be returned promptly so the commission can consider funding and other policy decisions ahead of the next budget cycle.