Crime fighters' budget

Cape Girardeau police chief Steve Strong is worrying less these days and planning more. A year ago he worried about how he could find experienced officers to replace the ones who were leaving to take better-paying jobs in other departments. He worried about how he could protect the city without enough officers. He had to plan by the seat of his pants.

He now has the luxury of planning short-term and long-term goals for the police department: This year's goals are bringing his staff up to full strength, improving equipment and renovating the police headquarters building. The change comes as a residual benefit of a quarter-cent sales tax for the fire department overwhelmingly approved by voters last June. The tax allows the city to free up other funds to help the police budget.

A year ago, the police department's biggest challenge was protecting the city's streets.

"We took away from other units so we could staff patrol," Strong said. "What was hurting were the other units."

Officers assigned to the airport were transferred to patrol. Detectives began rotating to the street, and the entire narcotics division was eliminated for a while, Strong said.

"I can remember sitting in the training room wondering where I was going to find officers to put on the street," said Capt. Carl Kinnison.

With its dwindling staff and resources, the police department was forced to react to situations instead of working to prevent them, Strong said. The department was forced to focus on only one area: patrol. It could also focus on making arrests for drunken driving because the state helped out financially.

"I know people don't like to hear it, but more people are injured and there is greater economic loss in accidents than in all crimes combined," Strong said.

Even with concentrating on patrol efforts last year, officers wrote 1,062 fewer traffic tickets last year than in 2003. People weren't driving any better, Strong said, "the number of officers out there able to write them had dropped."

Officers were leaving because they couldn't afford to work there.

"When the fiscal year started there were no pay raises," said Capt. Randy Roddy. "It went downhill from there."

A year ago, the police department was losing officers to other departments that paid better and were better equipped. No one had been given a raise for two years, and morale was lowStrong said. Officers were driving old patrol cars, they did not have up-to-date equipment, and when they were in the station, some rooms were freezing in the winter and unbearably hot in the summer.

The tax factor

That's changing now, thanks to the city sales tax increase.

The 1/4 cent sales tax went into effect in October and revenue from it is beginning to come in. Over the next 10 years, according to figures projected by the city finance department, the sales tax is expected to bring in $20 million. Half of that will go toward capital expenses -- buildings and major equipment. The rest will go toward salaries.

The city council voted to increase police and firefighter salaries on Jan 1. Police salaries rose by an average of 12 percent; firefighter salaries went up an average of 8 percent as a result of the sales tax.

Now instead of counting how many vacancies are left to be filled, police administrators are looking at how many officers are staying who once considered leaving. They're also counting the number of applications they're getting from licensed, experienced officers.

"People are staying around and they're happier here," Roddy said.

Strong said that officers who told him they were thinking of leaving are now coming to him saying their plans have changed. He said some former employees have called and said they want to come back. Some longtime officers who are eligible to retire are staying on.Sgt. Carl Eakins, 55, a 32-year veteran, said the pay raise helped him decide to stay at least another year. Eakins said he had planned to retire last October.

"I've got pretty dedicated people working for me, and it would be missed," Eakins said of his job. "This job is in your blood. It's not a routine job. Every day is something different."

By June of this year, Strong said he expects to have his department up to its full strength of 75 officers. The last time the department was at full strength, he said, he during the 1990s when he was a captain.

Job applications have jumped from an average of about 50 each time there is a vacancy to 75. Roddy said he is now building a waiting list of unsolicited applications, and has about 35.

With a full contingent of officers, Strong, Kinnison and Roddy are looking forward to putting the narcotics unit back on the street, enhancing the community service unit and returning officers to the airport.

In addition to improving the department's personnel situation, the police department also plans to add much-needed equipment.

By summer the department expects to have 10 brand new Ford Crown Victoria police cars, to be ordered through the state's fleet bid program at a reduced cost of about $20,000 a car.The department hasn't bought a new car since 1996.

Radios and Tasers round out the list of items the department plans to buy. Strong said even with extra funds available to the police department now, he still has to shop carefully. His communications fund in the budget allows for $10,000 worth of equipment, and he has requested equipment that will cost more.

Just being able to reduce turnover and buy new patrol cars this year is what Kinnison termed "incredible success." Being able to replace the 30-year-old heating and air-conditioning system is a bonus.

"The heating and air conditioning in this building have never worked the way they are supposed to," Strong said.

When the new fire station No. 3on North Sprigg Streetis completed, the police communications center will move there and free up storage and office space in the police department. Some other offices,such as public relations and the narcotics division, will be moved to a house the city owns behind the current police department building.

Six weeks into the new year is too early to measure any kind of results. Kinnison cautioned that some results are hard to track. If crime figures at the end of the year turn out to be higher than this year's statistics, he said, it will be difficult to tell if it's because there were more officers out there to solve crimes and make arrests or if there were more crimes committed. As the year progresses other measures of success will become evident. As they do, the Missourian will follow and document the progress.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160