Dallas PD Plan: Rehire Retired Officers As Civilians Temporarily
DALLAS (CBS11) - After losing a record 458 officers during the past year, the Dallas Police Department said it has a plan to get qualified people back on the job: rehire as many as 40 officers who retired.
This time around they would be civilians, and this would be temporary.
Deputy Chief Scott Walton said, "They have years of experience, a qualified skill-set, and we know them. They know the system and we can bring them back in immediately and start reaping the results."
Walton said, the plan is to help detectives and other administrative and support units do their jobs, all while keeping as many officers possible patrolling the streets. "If they're helping detectives, the detectives get to interview people quicker, they can help investigate more cases, so it really is a win for everyone."
The officers will have to work at least 30 hours each week.
The plan won't impact the pension system because the rehired officers won't get paid for vacations or receive sick time.
But the city will pay for a part of their health insurance.
The President of the Dallas Police Association, Mike Mata, said he approves. "This could help supplement their income and moreover, we have retirees who are paying $,1200 to $1,600 a month in healthcare and so that ability to have their home costs, their budgetary costs by going back to work for the city, it really is a win-win for both sides."
Dallas Councilman Adam McGough, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said, "It sounds like a win-win. We'll see how the interest is. I hope there's men and women out there who want to take advantage of this opportunity but that's yet to be seen."
The department said the plan would cost $1.8 million and that the money to pay for it should come from savings elsewhere in the budget.
Bryan Crelly said a recent crime at his Deep Ellum restaurant, Uncle Uber's, gave him a little indigestion.
"It was very alarming to walk in your office and somebody is going through your stuff."
He says the suspect ran off just as quickly as he entered his business.
Crelly said he believes the plan will ultimately benefit not only his customers, but his employees too. "The more help they can get, I think it's appreciated by the community and by all the businesses."