ST. LOUIS 鈥 City aldermen approved a resolution Friday calling for more competitive pay for 狐狸视频 police officers and new incentives to attract and retain more of them.
The resolution, from Alderman Pam Boyd, from the city鈥檚 northwest side, and Carol Howard, of south city, also said the city should offer take-home cars to officers with at least 10 years of experience, plus homebuying assistance in the form of loans or tax abatement.
The police department, , has been struggling to hire and retain officers. More commissioned employees have left the department than come on board in seven of the past 10 years, and the differences have jumped in the last two years: 58 more left than were added in 2020, and 79 more left than were added in 2021.
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As of late September, the deficit was up to 83, and the department鈥檚 total number of commissioned employees was 1,049, down roughly 15% from the department鈥檚 strength at the start of 2013.
Reasons cited for the hiring issues include competition from suburban departments that pay more, as well as increasing national focus on police misconduct, calls to cut law enforcement budgets, and increased stress connected to rising homicide rates and the pandemic.
Resolutions are nonbinding, so the one passed Friday will not take any direct action to change trends. It simply asks the city鈥檚 personnel department to make its proposals part of negotiations with the police. City Comptroller Darlene Green unveiled a similar slate of ideas in August. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has indicated support for extending new hiring incentives to all city employees.
Alderman Anne Schweitzer, of far south city, tacked on an amendment to the resolution Friday saying the board would follow up with a resolution concerning all city employees, noting that staffing woes are plaguing more than just the police.
The city has had more than 1,000 jobs vacant across the entire workforce this year, a shortage blamed for the city鈥檚 struggles picking up trash and answering 911 calls.
The vote on the bill was 16-0. Boyd and Alderman Joe Vaccaro, from the southwest side, abstained. Vaccaro explained that he has relatives in the police department.
Aldermen Annie Rice, of Shaw, Jimmy Lappe, of Carondelet, and Jesse Todd, of Vandeventer, voted present. Aldermen Howard, Sharon Tyus, of Kingsway East, Cara Spencer, of south city, and Michael Gras, of the Central West End, had excused absences.
Aldermen Christine Ingrassia, of Tower Grove East, and Tom Oldenburg, of 狐狸视频 Hills, did not vote.