Chester police working 12-hour shifts in response to officer shortage
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) — The Chester Police Department is dealing with what it calls a critical shortage of officers. The department is down 25 officers, which is bad timing because crime tends to spike in the summer, according to officials.
Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky said the department is now offering 12-hour shifts so more officers can be out on the streets.
"I put a survey out," Gretsky said. "Eighty percent of the officers — I think it's important that the rank-and-file voice their opinion — they voted for the 12-hour shifts."
The county is also taking steps to address the shortage. Twelve Delaware County Park police officers are now guarding the inmates at Chester jails so that more Chester police officers can be out patrolling the city.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said it's part of the Summer 2024 Safe Streets program, which started in mid-July.
"[It] benefits both the folks in the neighborhoods because they get to see more police officers protect them," Stollsteimer said, "but also to the Chester police officers themselves because now they have more backup."
Some Chester residents said they think the solutions will work.
"If you put a cop out here," Tony Ennamorato said, "you stop crime. Nobody wants to go to jail."
Gretsky said his department is ramping up recruitment efforts, but finding new officers has been a struggle, in part because of the pay rate.
The starting salary for a Chester police officer is $50,000. For Middletown Township police, it's $52,000. For Marple Township police, it's $71,000. For Haverford Township police, it's $76,000, and for Newtown Township police, it's $104,000.
"I feel like they [Chester police] need to hire more people," Chester resident Michael Mills said. "I'll take the job if that helps. I love my city."
Despite the challenges, Gretsky is confident he'll get his department up to full staff, which is 92 officers.
"We have 26 possible applicants we'll be testing in the next two weeks, which has been our biggest recruitment class for the last few years," he said.
David Johnson Sr. said he would like to see more officers on the streets so no other parent has to know the pain of losing a child. His 17-year-old son Zaheem Sabree, a football player at Chester High School, was shot in the head on June 30 while walking outside a pizza shop. He died at the hospital the next day.
"I've got a hole in my heart right now," Johnson said. "I'm ain't never going to be all right."