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Olivia council authorizes posting to fill vacant patrol officer after chief warns of burnout
Summary
The Olivia City Council authorized staff to post and begin hiring for a vacant Olivia Police Department patrol officer position after the police chief said rising calls and forensic workload are straining officers and risking burnout.
The Olivia City Council on Tuesday directed staff to post and recruit for a vacant Olivia Police Department patrol officer position after the police chief said the department’s increasing call volume and investigative work are stretching staff.
The police chief told the council that “we do find ourselves in need of another officer,” noting forensic demands and rising calls for service have required officers to work extra hours and that “officers are getting called out and put on call when they're not scheduled to.” The chief warned the situation could lead to burnout and cited recent investigative work to illustrate the workload: “officer Coots, I think, submitted five or six search warrants this weekend.”
Council members discussed the duration of an initial posting and the balance between speedy hiring and candidate quality. The council and staff agreed to post the position for an initial two-week period to see the candidate pool and to leave the posting open longer if qualified applicants are not found. The chief also told the council that a part-time officer in training, Officer Mosk, may be a candidate for full-time work after completing several weeks of training.
Council members and staff said the department has tried to reduce overtime by adjusting schedules and using part-time staff where possible; the chief said Sergeant Klaus has worked to reduce overtime but that current coverage still leaves gaps. One council member described the need as ensuring adequate coverage without sacrificing candidate quality.
A councilmember moved to direct staff to advertise and hire a qualified patrol officer and the motion was seconded. The council approved the motion by voice vote, authorizing staff to proceed with recruiting and candidate interviews.
The posting and hiring direction is procedural: staff will post the patrol officer position and return to the council with candidates or, if needed, further recommendations on recruitment and temporary coverage.
