BELLINGHAM, Wash.- The Bellingham Police Dept., like many other agencies across the country, are struggling to fill open officer positions.
However, a recent proposition is looking to offer some much-needed relief to officers already serving the city.
The City Council approved a measure to hire four community service officers during their meeting on Monday.
BPD Chief Rebeca Mertzig said that those folks would be responsible for handling more administrative tasks so that officers can focus on their work in the field:
“Right now we have some folks that are considering retiring and considering this as a possible option for them, so it’s basically a position that is non-commission but does a lot of work that you wouldn’t need a commission officer to necessarily do,” said BPD Chief Rebeca Mertzig.
Some of the community service officers’ duties would include reviewing body camera footage and completing paperwork.
Councilmember Lisa Anderson praised BPD for finding a solution that benefits everyone:
“If we can keep the officers out in the field and then retain some of that wonderful job skill fulfilling some of the back end work,” said Councilmember Lisa Anderson. “I really appreciate the creativity at looking how we can maximize our services. ”
The BPD also recently made some changes to their hiring process for officers.
Anyone interested in a law enforcement career in Bellingham no longer needs an associate’s degree to apply.