Carrboro Struggles To Fill Police Force

After hearing the presentation, members of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed the ways to reward those who have worked with the shortages.

For the last eight months, the Carrboro Police Department has been shorthanded with six open positions. The department is greatly concerned about the empty spots in their force and are now looking to the town for help, the officers said.

Officer Seth Everett spoke to the aldermen about how serious the vacancies in the Carrboro Police Department had become.

"Everyone is tired and would like to take a day off, but they can't because there aren't enough officers and you don't want to let a buddy down," he said. "You have to take it a day at a time."

Police Chief Carolyn Hutchison said the vacancies were having a larger impact on the staff than expected.

"Even though we only have six vacancies, it feels like eight because two of our officers are in school," she said.

Measures have been taken by the department to continue ensuring the safety of the town even with the shortage. The department has disbanded the community policing division so that it could assign more offi time for most of the officers, she said.

Alderman Mark Dorosin said he has put together a Police Recruitment and Retention Program that lists several proposals for the board to consider.

These proposals would help in solving the crisis at the department if passed by the board, he said.

"We recognize we've been experiencing problems in retention and under-employment," Dorosin said.

One proposal is to develop pay incentives derived from the unused salaries built into the town's budget.

Other proposals in the program include speeding up current bonuses to every 2 1/2 years, awarding special one-time bonuses for all officers who have served during the crisis and adding a personal day paid holiday.

The board is scheduled to meet next week and discuss the program.

"I am hopeful we will implement the proposals," Dorosin said.

Hutchison said three people had been offered jobs, but the department had yet to hear a response.

But she also said that before the department can call the new officers full members of the police department, they have to go through field training. This means even if the new officers are accepted, their training will delay putting them into active duty.

Everett said that without the assistance of the local officials, the police department will continue to struggle to keep a full staff. "Hopefully the town will see the police department does need help because the way the department goes is the way the town goes."

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