GROWTH IN FORCE:
Economic development leads Germantown to add police officers, firefighters.
After eight years serving the same neighborhoods, Germantown Police Officer Nick Iacobucci knows when something is out of place, whether it’s a car in the wrong driveway or kids who don’t belong in an apartment complex.
But when a call comes through for someone to respond to Saddle Creek, Methodist Germantown Hospital or a gas station along Poplar Avenue, it takes him away from those neighborhoods.
And with a growing central business district in the center of the city and a medical corridor along Wolf River Boulevard, he’s pulled away more often.
Germantown has six patrol districts, and District 5, which includes a portion of the businesses in the center of town, is “over and above the busiest district,” Capt. Jodi Whitfield said. Last quarter, District 5 had more than 800 calls for service, while the next busiest district had 600 calls, he said. It’s put a strain on both the commercial and residential areas.
“As the city grows, we’re getting more and more of a call volume in both areas,” he said.
The city is responding to the extra work with extra police
officers as well as firefighters. Four police officers were approved for the new budget that went into effect Wednesday, and have already been hired. Another three firefighters, who will also be either emergency medical technicians or paramedics, were also approved.
“We have a stellar response time right now, but looking to the future, if you don’t stay ahead of the curve ... I could see our response times going down if I have to pull officers from another area,” Police Chief Richard Hall said.
While the city isn’t growing outward, it is growing in density of both homes and businesses. The Thornwood development is already under construction to add a hotel, condos and commercial growth to the area at Germantown and Neshoba Roads. A plan is in the works to add a hotel, offices and commercial properties to the 10 acres formerly known as Kirby Farms on the western edge of the city. Saddle Creek shopping center is expanding both north and south of Poplar.
“It’s really good for the city to have all this expansion,” Hall said. “But it’s going to create a little bit more work for us.”
The goal, Hall said, is to create a new district that will encompass just the central business district. That would require the hiring of three additional officers next fiscal year in addition to the four new ones this year.
The four additional officers will bring the total number of commissioned officers in Germantown up to 95. Hall said national recommendations have been for a department to have about 2 officers for every 1,000 residents. The four extra officers will put Germantown up to about 2.36 officers per 1,000 residents, but Hall said it’s about what the community feels is right for its population.
City Administrator Patrick Lawton said on this year’s community survey, residents listed public safety as of both high importance and one with which they are highly satisfied.
“We think one of the reasons Germantown Police Officer Nick Iacobucci holds traffic for a disabled vehicle on Germantown Parkway near Poplar Pike. As economic growth has come to the middle of the city, so has the need for extra police enforcement, city leaders say. Germantown is expanding its police force this year with four new officers and plans to add three more in the next fiscal year. That will help create a new police district in the city that will focus on the central business area and bring the city’s total number of commissioned officers to 95. Iacobucci runs a driver’s identification number through the computer system before issuing a written warning for speeding. Police Chief Richard Hall said national recommendations have been for a city to have about two officers for every 1,000 residents. By adding new officers, Germantown will be up to about 2.36 officers per 1,000, he said. people choose to live here is the public safety factor,” Lawton said.
The extra police will cost the city $345,464 the first year for the officers, their benefits, two new vehicles and all the necessary equipment. The following year, that cost drops down to $246,798 but would increase slightly in subsequent years as those officers receive step increases.
The three new firefighters, who will be used to staff an additional ambulance, will cost $250,000 a year, plus $198,000 for the new ambulance. An additional fire inspector, at a total cost of $100,000, is also in the budget.
“There’s cost to growth,” Lawton said. “There’s no doubt about that.”
The city added new firefighters when it brought the ambulance service in-house in 2013, but had not added any new police officers since before the Great Recession in 2008.
Fire Chief John Selberg said the additional fire inspector is needed because of the growing number of requests from developers to inspect plans for new buildings. He said they usually try to respond to requests within two weeks, but have been taking closer to six weeks.
“You’ve got a developer who wants to get something going and he’s got to wait for us to review the plans,” Selberg said.
The additional firefighters who will staff the new ambulance will give the city more coverage for medical calls, Selberg said, as call volumes have been up 5 to 7 percent each of the last eight or nine years.
“We’ve seen a lot of increase with the medical corridor (and) senior living centers,” he said.
Selberg said he hopes to have the firefighters hired this month, and hopes to post the job opening for the fire inspector soon as well.
Carver, 1965:
Carver, 1973: CBHS, 1960: org Douglass, 1965: Aug. 28-30. Lula Wright Harris, 901-377-9070, or Lubecca Douglas, 901-324-9547, 901-481-8336 or nedandlubecca@gmail.com Douglass, 1946-2014: July 2-5. Janel Thompson, 901-550-7379 or janetwarethompson@gmail.com, or Geraldine Sykes, 901-278-2019 or gerrisykes1@bellsouth.net Humes, 1952: Aug. 15. Jean Sutton, jeanfsutton243@yahoo.com or 901-8536851. Melrose, 1996: Aug. 29. Dennis Eddins, 901-949-1254; Chris Boyd, 901-378-7339; Chris Jefferson, 901-283-0113; or Jaeda Miller, 901-301-3330. Oakhaven, 1965: Aug. 21-22. Nancy (Allison) May, 901-857-0770 or beachlit@earthlink.net, or Sue (McKiever) Lytle, 901-603-4330 or suelytle5383@aol.com Whitehaven, 1970: Aug. 8. whitehaven1970.reunion@gmail.com Booker T. Washington, 1965: Sept. 4-6. Natolyn Williams Herron, 901-7740476, or Willie Ruth Thomas McGhee, 901-524-1079. CBHS, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010: Sept. 25-26. alumni@cbhs.org Collierville, 1985: Sept. 4-5. Wink Rush, winkandjeanann@gmail.com East, 1975: Sept. 5-6. Classes of 1974, 1976 and others also welcome. Francine Anthony Washington, 662-812-5885, Pam May Coley, CPMay3621@yahoo. com ECS, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005: Sept. 18-19. KJamison@ecseagles.com or CMontfort@ecseagles.com Geeter, 1931-73: Sept. 5-6. Geraldine Taylor, geeteralumni1931.73@gmail.com Hamilton, 1963: Sept. 5. Charles Graham, 901-650-2131 or cdgraham04@ yahoo.com; Glover Tillman, 901-3985556 or glovertillman@bellsouth.net; Alice (Taylor) Henderson, 901-3578530 or alice_henderson@bellsouth. net; Bethel Harris, 901-569-1576 or bthlhrrs@aol.com; P. Gray, 513-8846411 or phlgray@aol.com Hamilton, 1965: Sept. 4-6. Barry Dillihunt, 901-398-6545 or Bardillihu@ att.net Kingsbury, 1970: Sept. 4-5. Kay Cicalla Wilson, tkw28@comcast.net, Barbara Graham Park, park0906@aol.com, or Terry Sturidvant, falconbartlett@gmail. com Lester, all classes (1956-1972): Sept. 4-6. Frances Littlejohn, 901-218-0673, or John Hamilton, 901-208-4581. Melrose, 1980: Sept. 4-6. Shelia Williams Skipper, 901-489-6753, or Angie Leaks Jones, 901-487-3081. Overton, 1975: Sept. 25-26. ctgar13579@yahoo.com, 901-488-0058 or 901-216-6966. South Side, 1965: Sept. 4-5. L.W. Barnhart, 901-756-4658 or barnharttn@ bellsouth.net