Headlines from around the web regarding hiring, assessment and other human resource issues in public safety.
3 Factors that Motivate Volunteer Firefighters to Join the Service
FireRescue1
It will come as no surprise to members and chiefs of combination fire departments that the faltering volunteer firefighter system is one of the largest and most daunting issues in the fire service today. Allowing volunteer firefighters to be emotionally fulfilled by serving their communities and [to] feel a part of firehouse camaraderie will help recruitment and retention efforts.
What Seattle’s new police-chief pick Carmen Best means for law enforcement
The Seattle Times
Public-defense leader Lisa Daugaard, a longtime criminal-justice reform advocate, explains why community activists and the police union are happy about Mayor Jenny Durkan’s police-chief choice.
Cleveland City Council OKs hiring consultant to tackle backlog of complaints about police conduct
Cleveland.com
A Chicago-based company that specializes law enforcement consulting will begin working through nearly 380 unsettled complaints made in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to Cleveland’s Office of Professional Standards about police officer behavior.
Veteran officer to be Boston’s 1st black police commissioner
PoliceOne
Boston police veteran William G. Gross made history yesterday when he was named the city’s first black police commissioner. “It shows that any kid in Boston … will have the opportunity to be the mayor, the commissioner or the chief,” Gross said. “If you want to change, you need to change, that is why I became a police officer.”
Sheriff: Shortage of 25 correction officers at St. Joseph County Jail shows need for better pay
South Bend Tribune
St. Joseph County Sheriff Mike Grzegorek estimates a shortage of 25 correction officers at the jail, contending raises are needed to correct the problem. He said the shortage of correction officers is mainly because they’re being promoted to county police officers or leaving to take higher-paying jobs at other police agencies.
Palo Alto raises police pay but recruiting is rough — even with 25K signing bonus
Palo Alto Daily Post
A $25,000 hiring bonus for officers transferring from another police department, implemented in September and one of the highest in the state, hasn’t been enough to attract more cops to work for Palo Alto, Keene said. A $10,000 hiring bonus was offered to new police-academy graduates. An official said in September that the department had 12 vacancies overall.
HERO HIGHLIGHT
Video: Officer helps homeless man shave beard for job
PoliceOne
A homeless man said he needed to be clean-shaven to get hired at a McDonald’s, so Officer Tony Carlson of the Tallahassee Police Department stepped in and helped.
