KENTWOOD, Mich. — The Kentwood Police Department is working toward solutions to address staff shortages in the department.
Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin said the department is budgeted for 71 officers in the city, but the department is currently down 13 officer positions that they're looking to fill.
He said that officers that had left had made mention of wages and pension.
Hoping to make up for what he says is an issue for many departments, he said efforts have been made to update wages and other benefits to keep the department competitive with others.
Litwin said he feels the department is in a good spot with the steps being taken by the city, including reallocating funds and sponsoring students at local academies that he said will help to work toward a solution.
"Other things we're doing right now, the City, you know, we're just coming out of contract negotiations," Litwin said. "So, collective bargaining agreements with our sergeants and making some changes with our officers so that we're more competitive with our neighbors."
Currently, Litwin said, three students at Grand Valley State University's Police Academy being sponsored by the department are expected to finish in the coming weeks, with four more scheduled to begin the academy in the fall.
"Like I said, it's not just a Kentwood issue," Litwin said. "This is a law enforcement issue, both state and nationally. So, we're getting, we're seeing help from the federal government, the state to address those, but we're taking those other things to help recruit people, bring them in."
For the open positions that have already been budgeted for, Litwin said it was up to the City to decide how to reallocate them. But funds that have stayed in the department have gone toward helping recruitment and retention efforts.
"The funds that are there, we reallocate those, as the city sees fit to, like I said, we started doing this recruitment thing a couple of years ago. So in 2021, you know, we allocated almost $10,000 just for tuition plus wages. So, you know, a lot of those funds have gone towards that, to help bring authors in. And we're continuing to do that."
Litwin said anyone who is concerned about public safety issues should reach out to their state and city representatives.
The police department will be having a neighborhood meeting with community members on Wednesday night.
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