St. Helens police chief warns overtime will far exceed budget as hires arrive
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Summary
Police Chief said the department has relied on voluntary overtime for 18 months to maintain 24‑hour coverage, projecting overtime costs of about $543,000 this fiscal year versus a $300,000 budget, while several hires and academy graduates could restore regular shifts by spring.
Chief Smith said St. Helens has been able to provide 24‑hour coverage only because officers have volunteered overtime for roughly 18 months and that the practice is unsustainable. “We were budgeted for $300,000 for overtime this fiscal year,” he said, “and after meeting with Gloria yesterday, we are projected to spend $543,000.”
Smith said the department is technically down six operational officers, the detective sergeant position is vacant and two conditional job offers are outstanding. He said Officer Jacob Milana, a lateral hire from Reedsport, is scheduled to start Feb. 10, and two other recent recruits are completing background checks and medical screenings.
Smith outlined a possible timeline: two officers who recently graduated from the police academy and two lateral hires could complete field training and reach solo status by the end of the first quarter, which would allow the department to return to regular 24‑hour shifts rather than rely on voluntary overtime.
Council members and the mayor expressed concern about burnout and the budgetary impact. Councilors pressed for contingency plans; Smith said he has discussed a temporary coverage plan with county partners and intends to meet with Sheriff Pixley and others to develop an interim approach that preserves response capacity while avoiding excessive overtime costs.
The chief also raised a public‑safety concern: with no on‑duty officer, access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) could be delayed for medical emergencies, so he is pursuing additional AED coverage and other mitigations.
Next steps: Smith said he will report back as hires complete training and council will consider budget adjustments during the upcoming budget cycle if overtime projections hold.