Perks and Higher Pay

In a bid to attract and retain officers, the Willow Springs Police Department launched an innovative program last week. In exchange for the cost of police academy training, certain hand-picked candidates will commit to four years' employment with the WSPD after their graduation.

The Board of Aldermen initially considered the program at their regular meeting on July 25. Agreeing to the general idea, the aldermen reconvened in a special session Thursday evening specifically to approve the contract language. The language was approved unanimously in time to be effective for the two interested cadets the department has selected as the first participants in the program. 

Moving forward, certain individually chosen cadets will sign the contract and receive the cost of their schooling at the University of Missouri, wages, and uniforms with the condition to repay the City if that recruit is terminated or voluntarily leaves before the contract is fulfilled. Both the police chief and the city administrator must agree on the candidate before the City will enter into the contract. 

According to Chief Wes Ellison, this training-for-commitment arrangement should help to address department turnover and will hopefully attract desirable candidates to Willow Springs. In the meeting Monday evening, aldermen heard from City Administrator Beverly Hicks that, among all the City departments, the police department in particular faces fierce competition from neighboring agencies, some of which have recently passed tax increases to increase police wages. 

"It's about being competitive," Chief Ellison commented in a follow-up interview. "Everybody is looking for something different, different perks."

In Monday's meeting, the aldermen also voted unanimously to increase starting wages in the police department from $16.04 per hour to $17.91. After six months, wages can increase to $18.37 per hour. 

"The guys are really appreciative [about the wage increase]," Chief Ellison told Howell County News. "They have a positive attitude about it, and it's building morale."