City growth, traffic enforcement drive need for officers
As Olive Branch’s most vetera n police off icer retired from the department last week, city officials continued to work on a plan to retain officers and grow the force by 12 percent this year.
Capt. Tony Norris, who’d planned to be a minister but took a police job in 1983 for the income, said he realized a long time ago he made a good decision.
“I was right where God wanted me to be,” Norris, 66, told a group assembled Friday to recognize his 32 years of service. “This was my ministry.”
Such longevit y, a nd thus retirement, is fairly rare within the 81-member Olive Branch force. Chief Don Gammage said problems with retaining officers have been partly responsible.
Because of Norris’ departure, 23-year veteran Gammage now shares the greatest longevity with one other officer. Then there is a five-year gap, with many who have even less time on the force.
In recent years, efforts have been made to retain experienced officers, and now to grow the size of the department to match Olive Branch’s changing needs.
The city plans to add 10 patrol slots, an increase of 1 2 percent. The recruits are expected to begin 1 2 weeks of training soon.
Gammage created a 25item vision list when he rose to the top job in 2009, including increasing the ranks of the department, which had 70 off icers. Wit h t he 10 new officers raising t he nu mber to 91 , that’s a 30 percent increase over the past six years.
Olive Branch’s growing population — the city has seen a 66 percent increase since 2000 to about 35,000 residents — is a major factor in the need for more officers, officials said.
“It’s not slowing down,” Mayor Scott Phillips said of population growth. “We want to stay as proactive as we can.”
Olive Branch leaders aren’t stopping at 10 new police jobs. In all, the mayor and the Board of Aldermen want to add 22 officers over five years.
To retain officers, salaries have been increased in an effort to compete with larger departments, such as Memphis, that can offer more.
Beginning officers can reach their highest pay without promotion in three years now, instead of in five, Gammage said. That “top-out” pay is $43,661. It’s not that the crime rate has risen dramatically, Gam- mage said of the reason behind the desire for more officers. More officers are needed to increase services, especially in community outreach.
Norris was over t he community relations division.
Also driving the need for officers is increased traffic enforcement. Gammage said car accidents have decreased since Olive Branch has stepped up enforcement.
Milton Nichols, who was mayor when Norris was hired and spoke at his retirement party, said a police department’s importance should not be underestimated. He alluded that a big part of the city’s reputation elsewhere is due to the safety that officers enforce.
“A police department can make or break a city,” Nichols said.