Stop and think about it. And its not the job
itself, it’s the loons on the job because at this point the only people who want
the job are those desperate for authority, basically the same people everyone
avoided in high school.
Personnel
emergency declared as FCPD tackles staffing challenges
The Fairfax County Police Department is under
a personnel emergency amid a staffing shortage that has continued
for several months.
In a temporary shift,
police officers are transitioning to two 12.5-hour shifts and working mandatory
overtime, according to the FCPD. That departs from the standard staffing model
of three 11.5-hour shifts.
Additionally, patrol officers “may be
required” to help other squads to maintain safe staffing levels, FCPD told
FFXnow.
So far, the police
department has 194 operational vacancies, but that does not account for 50
recruits currently in the police academy. That leaves 144 total vacancies.
“We have launched a
multi-media recruiting campaign this summer with updates videos on our
new JoinFCPD.org website,”
a spokesperson said.
Some say the Fairfax
County Board of Supervisors has failed to provide adequate salary increases and
other incentives to attract and retain the county’s police force.
While officers saw an
average pay increase of nearly 8% in this fiscal year,
beginning July 1, pay scale steps were frozen between fiscal years 2019
and 2021.
“The salary increases
that some officers received this fiscal year doesn’t make up for what was
previously promised to them,” Steve Manohan, president of the county’s
chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association said. “Keep
in mind, there were hundreds of officers who only received a 4% cost of living
increase in fiscal year 2022.”
Board Chairman Jeff McKay
says the board is working with FCPD to recruit and retain officers, noting that
Chief Kevin Davis has a plan to reach out across the county, region and
nationwide — including non-traditional means like advertisements at movie
theaters. The department has also reduced the length of its application and
background information requirements in an effort to streamline the process.
“All of this is done to
position FCPD as an exciting and meaningful career choice for those who may
have a calling for public service,” McKay wrote in a statement.
McKay says the county is
looking at different ways to support officers as staffing adjustments continue.
“The Fairfax County Police Department is a top
destination for anyone who wants to serve their community, and we will continue
to get that message out while also exploring ways to maintain our regional
competitiveness in compensation and job satisfaction,” he said. “Like with all
municipalities during this pandemic era there is much work to be done, but our
team–and especially our officers–are up to the task, and we are here to support
them 100%.”
Still, Manohan says more
must be done to address the “exodus” of police officers from the county.
“Our board maintains that
a three-step decompression of the pay scale, or 15% pay raise is a reasonable
and good faithed effort to stop the exodus of officers from leaving the
department and makes an honest investment of the public safety of Fairfax
County,” Manohan said.
Part of that hiring
commitment includes increasing the number of women in the police. By 2030, the
police department hopes that at least 30% of its workforce will consist of
female police officers.
“An internal look at
retention are all aspects of a multifaceted approach to returning to our
complete staffing model,” the spokesperson said.
High vacancy rates have
plagued the public safety sector across the country. In Fairfax County, the sheriff’s
office has been affected as well.
Manohan says the time to
act is now.
“With nearly 200
operational vacancies within the department, violent crime increasing, and
officers being forced to work longer hours;
the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has failed to address
the serious issues concerning the rank and file of our department,” he wrote in
a statement to FFXnow.
The FCPD reported
an overall drop in crime last year
compared to 2020, though there was an uptick in homicides.
It’s unclear when
staffing will resume to normal operations, according to the FCPD. The
department did not provide specific information on how staffing shortages may
impact service, shifts, hours, and the composition of police units.