The chiefs of the Midland Fire and Police departments told the Midland City Council on Thursday that they anticipate their recruiting efforts will benefit from increases in pay and incentives that are proposed in the next city budget.
Both made presentations during the Midland City Council retreat that took place at the Blakemore Planetarium.
Midland Fire Department Chief Charles Blumenauer told the council that increases will mean a $600-a- month gross impact in a beginning firefighter’s potential salary, which is about $52,000. There are also incentives—including those for paramedics—that will provide other opportunities to earn more. Blumenauer said that incentives could mean another $14,000 a year.
City officials said there are 29 fire department vacancies—not including the six individuals currently attending the fire department academy and 12 scheduled for the next academy.
“This gives me incentives to get (new firefighters) here,” Blumenauer said. “It will be a great recruiting tool.”
Blumenauer also gave a presentation of changes taking place inside fire stations across the city—kitchen and wellness center improvements and a fixed roof, for example – along with the completion of Station 6 and building of two new facilities — Station 5 in central Midland and Station 11 in west Midland. The new stations are expected to be completed in 2020.
Blumenauer said the fire department made 18,000 runs last year and will approach 19,000 to 20,000 this year and that even with the new station in central Midland, response times should continue to not be an issue.
Midland Police Chief Seth Herman said proposed salary adjustments will push MPD’s starting salary from 14th of 20 similar-sized cities to No. 7. Herman said starting pay will increase to $61,000 and that incentive pay could double from $500 to $1,000 a month.
Herman has said MPD is 46 employees down from its budgeted staffing level.
“That will help us tremendously on recruiting capabilities,” said Herman, who also said studies have show that MPD will need an extra 33 officers once it is reaches the budgeted staffing level.
There are also housing assistance incentives and a barracks will be built that eventually will provide an opportunity for beginning officers to live rent-free during their first six months with the department.
Herman said that over the last four weeks, MPD has obtained four officers from outside agencies. It was also reported that there were three officers in police academy, nine probationary officers and nine officers expected in the next academy.
Herman said that while the actual number of crimes has dropped by 1,300 since 2009, there was a 24 percent increase in all crimes between May 2018-19 -- a result of the officer shortage. He said he expects a small decrease in the crime rate this year.
He said there have been problems with groups outside the Permian Basin coming into the city and committing crimes, such as a group of Serbians committing scams. He also said there has been an increase in biker gang activity, specifically Mongols and Hell's Angels.
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