Detroit Police Officers To Work 12-Hour Shifts
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit police officers will soon be working longer shifts patrolling city streets. Police Chief Ralph Godbee announced on Wednesday that cops will move to 12-hour shifts beginning August 20.
Godbee said the daily schedule will be divided into two shifts in place of the current three.
"An eight-hour shift for patrol, it's really a dinosaur," said Godbee. "Most agencies are either in a 10-hour, four-day a week configuration or the 12-hour configuration. So, from that standpoint, we were behind the eight ball anyway."
Among Detroit's men and women in blue, Godbee said the new schedule is getting mixed reviews. "Some officers have expressed that they're looking forward to it, some officers have expressed some consternation," Godbee said.
Godbee said this new schedule will put a stop to officers working double-shifts, like many have been, and eliminate the need for paid overtime.
"So, what I'm asking my officers is, I know they're under a tough circumstance, but if they can hang with us and work with us ... our goal as a leadership team is to make sure that we get more boots on the ground," he said, adding that police leadership will keep an eye out for fatigue.
Officers will work 44-hour weeks split over 14 days a month.
Godbee said he doesn't need the police union's approval for the plan.
This change for the department was announced just one day after the Detroit City Council voted against a millage question that, if approved, would have funded the hiring of hiring of 500 additional police officers.
