The Gardner Police Department presented to City Council Monday, Oct. 3 the reasons why they would be coming back to request funding for the hiring and retention of officers.

Lee Krout, police captain, said during council updates the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department had recently increased their salary.

“You were gratuitous to us months ago,”Krout said. “But I’m going to give perspective for why we will be coming back to you for a future request.”

In September the Johnson County Board of Commissioners voted to recommend a plan that would increase pay for incoming sheriff deputies.

The minimum and maximum potential salaries of sheriff’s deputies would be increased.

The county’s human resources plan gives deputies a base pay of $55,120 and could earn a maximum salary of more than $91,000. The recommendation would lead to a 15% increase in deputy salaries. Sheriff Calvin Hayden’s proposal would make deputies’ base salary about $64,000 with a possible maximum salary up to just over $90,600.

Krout presented detailed examples as to why the Gardner Police department is losing officers or unable to compete with the 30 other agencies in the metro area, including the sheriff’s office.

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Calvin Hayden, employs just over 500 deputies and has also been experiencing a higher than normal vacancy rate. They currently have 69 deputy vacancies. Krout said the Gardner Police Department hired people on in the Winter.

“We thought we were doing well,”he said. Krout said then two other agencies increased their pay putting their department back down to the bottom in salary pay.

“In the last three weeks we lost one officer to another agency,” he said. “I don’t know if it was for salary. Two other officers we lost for personal reasons, and we lost another to an agency due to a considerable raise.”

Krout said they are down five officers in the last three weeks and two other officers looking at other agencies. “We will be down by seven by the end of the year,”he said. Krout explained that during the hiring process they will have 20 people confirm but only 10 will show up the day of the test. He said from there only six people will pass the test and only three of the six will pass the background check. “One needed an extra page for their criminal history, so then we made it down to two,”he said. “Only one is moving on.”

Krout said when he joined the police service 27 years ago 300 people tested for two spots in Olathe. “We don’t get people in that we need to,”he said. “We here in Gardner are competing with 30 other agencies in the metro area. I want all of you thinking about that.”

Krout said it wasn’t just a Kansas City Metro issue.

“It’s going on everywhere,”he said. “We have to get people in and be able to keep them. What can we offer to keep them to stay. It’s my responsibility to stand up for my people.”

Kacy Deaton, council member, said what would it mean for the police department to be fully staffed.

Krout said it would be 37 certified full time officers.

Todd Winters, mayor, said he wanted to know how the promotion of candidates is currently handled. Krout said it starts with an online application.

“Anyone that applies is allowed to test at this point,”he said. “If they pass the test then they automatically move to the interview with the interview board.” Krout said the interview board typically includes a patrol officer, field officer, young officer, supervisor and Human Resources. This is followed by a background check and a ranking of people through more detailed questions.

“We weed out a lot of people with the polygraph and extensive background,”he said.

Krout said they run several processes and don’t believe in lowering standards. They then move forward to interview with the Chief before receiving a conditional offer, he said. Winters said he wanted to know more about how the department promotes—advertises for open positions. Krout said they post a lot of signs and rely heavily on social media.

“The job fairs are full, and we are on a waitlist,”he said. Tory Roberts, council member, said she wanted to know about the police associations. Krout said they also advertise through them.

Shute said perhaps they needed an an active educational program through the schools. Krout said the department utilizes the SROs in schools.

“There are programs we would like to do,”he said. “But people are working 12 to 14 hours as it is. We are trying to push more. Social media is the big thing anymore that we have pushed more and more.” Shute said how far did Krout think the Gardner Police Department is out of mid-range with other Johnson County salary scales. Krout said about $2 to $3 less an hour. Jim Pruetting, city manager, said he thought Krout’s estimate was on the low side. Krout said on the high side it would be $6 per hour.

Pruetting said there were no great options.

“The alternatives right now are putting staffing on the backs of officers with overtime,”he said. “Cutting time on the road is not ideal.” Pruetting said they were going to be in trouble if they keep having an exodus. “There are choices to make,”he said. “We will probably have to raise the starting pay.” Pruetting said the appealing things for an officer wanting to work in Gardner is there are not as many high risk interactions.

“If we get them in the door we have to stay competitive,”he said. “We are going to drive officers into the ground.” Krout said eight hour shifts are a thing of the past and 10 hour shifts are a big plus because they rotate. “But it takes more people,”he said. “We are starting to lose people. It’s wearing people down.”