Police department returning to full force

Short-staffed since November, the Fairfield Police Department will soon be returning to full force.

Monday, the Fairfield City Council will be asked to approve two new hires, bringing the 14-person department back up to 13. A third new officer is in line for employment as soon as one of the first two hires completes field training.

?We can only handle two at a time to keep the program consistent,? explained chief Julie Harvey.

Field training involves teaching, demonstrating and practicing each task at least once. Experienced officers are assigned to training in their areas of strength or interest ? the goal is consistent grading to ensure each officer is adept, Harvey said.

Fairfield?s field training lasts 14 weeks.

?They get some experience by themselves, but they?re still highly supervised,? Harvey said.

One of the officers pending employment is already certified. The one who is not must attend the police academy within one year.

Harvey said one of the officers joining the Fairfield department worked elsewhere in a drug task force under a Community Oriented Policing Services Funding Accelerated for Smaller Towns grant. The federal program pays 75 percent of a new hire?s salary for three years ? then the position must be fully funded by the department, or it is lost.

The certified officer will undergo modified field training, Harvey said.

The Fairfield Police Department?s numbers were first reduced with the resignation of Hans Walleser in November. He was still in training when he quite to take a job with the Department of Natural Resources.

Tony Hammes retired Dec. 30, but took all of December off as vacation, and Greg Francisco retired unexpectedly Jan. 9.

Joel Smith, a new hire last June, has been enrolled in the police academy since January. The academy lasts through April.

The department promoted Dave Thomas to captain, Colin Smith to lieutenant, Aaron Price to sergeant and Greg Francisco to sergeant. The promotions were interim in December and took effect in January.

Harvey said the interim promotions pushed the transition up before the busy start of the year, when the department would be tasked with preparing end of year statistics and a budget for city hall.

Thomas, Smith and Harvey all worked additional shifts during the past couple months. Some Jefferson County Police Reserves officers also were able to cover a few shifts.

Harvey said it?s been frustrating for her department.

?There are some things we haven?t been as proactive about,? she said, citing downtown parking as an example.

Once the department is fully staffed, Harvey hopes to re-instate special projects. Still, she said several have been ongoing: officers have continued to work in the schools, and the department is planning a big exercise in October. A bike sale is scheduled this spring.

?In the last two years, we?ve got a whole new administrative staff, so it?s been a learning curve for us,? Harvey said.

The hiring process has been a time-consuming curve.

Harvey had planned on participating in a testing group for southeast Iowa, but the department couldn?t wait until March or April once Francisco retired.

The department took on the process itself ? 31 applications were sent out, and 18 were returned. The entire department assisted with background checks.

Fifteen applicants showed up for the physical agility and written tests in early February. Ten made it through.

The city?s civil service commission approved a list of eight Tuesday evening ? the list is good for one year, and individuals are hired in order of their ranking on the list.

?This is one of the best lists we?ve had in a long time,? Harvey said. Five of the individuals are already certified officers.

Following the council?s approval Monday, one of the new officers will start Tuesday. The other is set to begin March 5.

Also once the department is fully staffed, Harvey will seek a new K-9 handler to replace Smith, who was promoted to lieutenant. The chosen officer will be recertified with Banjoir.