Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Onley police report: defective speed signs, recruitment plans and academy schedule discussed
Summary
Chief E.J. Long told the council that speed-display signs purchased from Stalker have persistent defects and must be returned for repair; council discussed recruitment steps including a ZipRecruiter posting (approved with a $500 cap) and an academy that runs June 29–Nov. 17 for new hires.
Onley, Va. — At its Feb. 2 meeting the Onley Town Council heard from Chief of Police E.J. Long about ongoing problems with the town’s speed-display signs and the department’s recruitment timeline.
Long reported that the speed signs are at a local shop and that the vendor, Stalker, will not provide repair instructions; they require the signs be returned to the manufacturer for repair. Long said he had asked Stalker to cover repairs given that the problems have persisted ‘‘for more than a year’’ and that Stalker had already supplied shipping containers to facilitate returns. Council discussed outreach to the Town of Accomac, which reportedly is experiencing similar problems with signs sold by Onley.
On recruitment, Town Manager Susan Rillo discussed the possibility of using ZipRecruiter to advertise police vacancies but said she had encountered difficulty obtaining a payment method for the service. After discussion about scams on some job sites, council approved posting on ZipRecruiter with a $500 spending cap, requested that applications be delivered in person, and asked that applicants not call by phone. The motion passed with a majority vote (Corbin and Lang opposed).
Chief Long said the police academy for new recruits runs June 29 through Nov. 17; an uncertified applicant is in the early stages of a background check. Long said the department is exploring a ‘‘pre-academy’’ option that could shorten field-training time, and he will report academy- and training-related costs during next year’s budget process.
Town Attorney Carl Bundick and Chief Long were asked to finalize an employment agreement for future hires; Councilman Jason Campbell noted he previously provided a sample agreement for Bundick’s review to help speed the process.
