Claremont
City Manager Ryan McNutt said the increases can hopefully stop the department’s problem of hiring and training officers only to see them leave for more money. Officers often depart in favor of the Charlestown, Newport or Lebanon forces.
“They are a department in crisis,” McNutt said. “I didn’t see any other way to solve this unless we offer what others are offering. This will improve morale and lower stress.”
Police Chief Mark Chase said they should have 25 officers, including his position, on force, but right now the department is down two officers — soon to be down three, thanks to an upcoming retirement — and six more officers are not trained to be on patrol. Chase said two just came out of the four-month police academy and are doing field training, two more are in the academy and the last two will go to the academy in the fall.
“There is now a small amount of the workforce doing the lion’s share of what 25 should be doing,” Chase said. “It is stressful. The two hired in February won’t be on their own until October.”
As of July 1, the base pay increases 6 percent to almost $48,100. That figure increases another 3 percent to $49,530 the following year and to $51,000 in the third year.
Chase said all employees in the police department are paid from the base, with new officers receiving 86 percent of base and moving to 100 percent after four years. Others receive a greater percentage — many in excess of the base — depending on experience.
“This (base pay increase) doesn’t solve the problem but it gets us closer to the departments that have been taking from us,” Chase said earlier on Wednesday. “It puts us within range.”
Two officers that Chase said recently had an opportunity to leave will remain with the department in large part because of the new contract.
“That is huge for the department and huge for the city,” Chase said.
The purpose of the signing bonus provision will allow the city to entice officers who could be hired as sergeants or lieutenants. The department’s staffing problems has left gaps in the ranks of experienced officers, McNutt said.
“This will give us the ability to plug someone in right away (with no need for expensive and lengthy training),” McNutt said.
The council voted, 7-0, in favor of the contract with John Simonds, the Sullivan County sheriff and a former Claremont police officer, abstaining. Mayor Charlene Lovett was absent.
Though he voted for the contract, Councilor Bruce Temple had reservations because while the police will receive increases, the public works union’s new, one-year contract had no wage increase.
“I’m interested in an equitable distribution of salary and wage increases,” said Temple, the city’s former public works director.
But Assistant Mayor Vic Bergeron said no other department in the city is in crisis mode, losing quality officers to other communities.
“If we don’t compete, we won’t get the officers we need,” Bergeron said. “We are trying to fix it.”
Temple also was concerned the signing bonus provision will set a precedent that other city unions will demand.
McNutt said the bonus option is offered by other communities and it will give Claremont some flexibility when it has a real need to fill a position with someone with experience, avoiding much of the expense and time needed for training.
As for other unions, McNutt said he does not negotiate on a comparison basis and sees each union with its own mission, needs and conditions.
“They are all separate negotiations,” he said.
Speaking from experience, Simonds said he left Claremont as a corporal and went to Newport for more money as a patrolman.
“This is so badly needed. I think it is an important move,” he said.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
