Fayetteville police official: 60 hires expected over next month, fully staffed by summer

Vacancies in the Fayetteville Police Department have been the subject of much discussion the past couple of years. The issue has even seeped into this year’s City Council races: Several candidates have cited the unfilled positions as a driving force behind their campaigns.

But Police Department officials suggest they have turned the corner on recruitment and hiring.

Fayetteville Police Capt. Todd Joyce said that as of Friday, there were 49 open positions among sworn officers. More officers are set to be hired Monday and on May 31, and a total of 60 were set to be hired in the next 30 days, he said.

Joyce pushed back against a commonly cited figure by critics of the department that the force, which is budgeted for more than 430 sworn officers, was at one point down by 100 or more officers.

“No, it was never that,” he said Friday. “The highest we would have ever been was right around 60, that could be plus or minus. High 60.”

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Last October, the department reported 58 vacancies.

Hiring spree this summer

The Police Department is looking toward what could be a hiring spree this summer. Two academies to train prospective officers are scheduled for July and August.

Police Lt. Lori D. Holloway, a department spokesperson, said earlier this month that would mean “at least 40 more officers joining our department.” 

Joyce said the Police Department expected to hire enough officers to potentially enter what he says is an “overhire” status.

“The overhires are there to foresee any potential retirements or things like that, that come in the future,” he said. “Our goal is that we are fully staffed this summer and then move into overhire status.”

He said the hiring boost is thanks to incentives greenlighted by Police Chief Gina Hawkins, City Manager Doug Hewett and the City Council. These include a $10,000 incentive for lateral officers, or those with experience; $4,000 for new officers out of the academy; and $6,000 for people with military experience. The department also provides reimbursements for moving expenses and educational incentives, he said.

The cash incentives are paid off in installments. To qualify, officers have to get certified, pass the state exam and be otherwise eligible.

“It has helped us with recruiting," Joyce said of the incentives. "As you can tell … with the numbers, and our projected numbers over the summer, it has had a great impact on our hiring.”

Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.