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Police chief cites staffing gaps; council approves retired officers keeping service weapons as surplus transfers
Summary
Chief Joe Grimes reported four vacancies in a 64-sworn allocation and described the time needed to vet and train hires; council approved declaring retired officers' duty weapons as surplus so retiring personnel may take them home in accordance with Indiana statute.
Police Chief Joe Grimes asked the council to approve declaring certain department items surplus to allow long-serving sworn officers to retain their duty weapons at retirement under state statute. "Anybody that serves in public safety with law enforcement for 20 plus years of service has this capability to have their duty weapon retired to their care and to their ownership," Grimes said, asking council approval as a recognition of long service.
Grimes also summarized staffing pressures: the department currently has four vacancies out of an allocation of 64 sworn officers and has issued three conditional offers, but new hires require state vetting, academy training, and extensive field training. He noted the department's executive staff and many supervisory ranks are retirement eligible, described the recruitment pipeline and retention goals, and asked the council to support maintaining benefits and salaries to aid retention. The council approved the surplus declaration and the weapon transfers for retiring personnel by voice vote.
