A critical staffing emergency has unfolded in District 3 of St. Louis, sounding an alarm within the city's law enforcement community. The unexpected illness of both scheduled police officers for an entire shift has plunged the district into a state of urgency, sparking immediate calls for intervention.
On a pivotal Wednesday, District 3 found itself in a precarious situation with only two officers designated for the vital second shift, running from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The abrupt illness of these officers left the district devoid of active law enforcement personnel, necessitating the swift allocation of resources from a neighboring district to address emergency calls.
The St. Louis Police Officers’ Association (SLPOA) has voiced deep concern over the persistent issue of understaffing. Joe Steiger, SLPOA Business Manager, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stressing the potential risks posed to both police officers and the public. Steiger disclosed that the department grapples with a substantial deficit of approximately 287 officers, imploring city officials to take immediate action by strengthening recruitment and retention efforts.
As the shortage of staff strained resources, St. Louis witnessed a tragic shooting incident on Osage Street, shedding light on the severe consequences of inadequate police presence. In addition to this devastating event, at least three other shootings were reported during the same period.
In response to these daunting challenges, SLMPD spokesman Sergeant Charles Wall outlined the department's initiatives to address the issue. These measures included raising the starting salaries for officers and negotiating pay raises through the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The aim was to bolster the department's competitiveness and successfully lure back some officers who had previously departed. However, Wall acknowledged the low patrol staffing levels on that particular Wednesday, attributing the shortage to a combination of officers falling ill and sustaining injury-related absences. He highlighted the persistent hurdles posed by illnesses and injuries faced by police departments, especially in the context of the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the heightened risks confronting first responders.
Steiger expressed concerns regarding the imperative need to reevaluate resource allocation within the department, underlining a disconcerting trend in the city's management of its police force over the past decade.
The staffing crisis in St. Louis reflects a broader national pattern, where police agencies grapple with comparable shortages. Remarkably, despite having fewer officers, the city reported a notable decrease of approximately 22 percent in homicides compared to the previous year.
The Ethical Society of Police issued a statement, shedding light on the dire consequences of staffing shortages for the residents of St. Louis. The organization stressed the urgent need for proactive recruitment efforts to fill the numerous vacant positions within the department, emphasizing the impact on morale, recruitment, retention, and overall public safety. The statement called for dignified treatment of both officers and civilian personnel and advocated for investments in law enforcement and civilian staff to enhance service delivery and community support.
Regarding the events that transpired on Wednesday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department released this statement:
“We will not be making anyone available for interview.
Over the past several years, law enforcement agencies across the country have experienced staffing shortages and other employment-related challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as civil unrest and other large-scale gatherings that have placed additional stresses on policing manpower levels and deployment. Similar to police departments across the country, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has been experiencing prolonged staffing shortages in both commissioned and civilian positions. These are not dissimilar to vacancies that have affected private and nonprofit organizations, as well as other government agencies, in recent months and years.
While patrol staffing levels were low yesterday in one of our districts, it is not accurate to state that no police officers were working in that area. Multiple police officers assigned to this area were sick on yesterday’s date, which coupled with injury-related absences resulted in the staffing shortage. Both injuries and illness are common challenges facing police departments, especially given the continued effects of COVID-19 in our communities and the higher risk of injuries faced by first responders. There is no evidence suggesting that this was a coordinated effort, and we continue to have policies in place to monitor sick time usage and address potential issues.
On any occasion when we experience a staffing shortage in one particular area or shift, we have a number of tools available to address this. We are able to offer overtime pay for officers to cover the vacancy, as well as supplemental support units that can be deployed – and redeployed – as necessary to assist where needed. It is not uncommon for police officers to assist with calls for service in neighboring districts, even when staffing shortages are not a factor.
We have these options available in order to ensure, despite any staffing challenges we may face, that we are able to provide continuous and high-quality police services to the residents of St. Louis. Staffing challenges are unfortunately not new to our agency and the dedicated men and women who serve the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the City of St. Louis, both commissioned and non-commissioned employees, continue their hard work which has resulted in an overall reduction in crime this year compared to years prior.
This year we raised the starting salary for officers and negotiated pay raises through the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Mayor’s Administration and St. Louis Police Officers’ Association. The contract has helped the department become competitive with the surrounding jurisdictions, and has even attracted some officers who previously left our agency to return. We are always looking for dedicated, service-oriented candidates who are interested in joining our department, and we have taken steps to bolster our recruitment efforts. Additionally, the City of St. Louis recently allowed for previously experienced officers with a Missouri Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) license to get hired here at the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department at a rate of pay with the same years of service as the number of years that officer has served at another agency while maintaining that license.”
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