TELL YOU. WELL, KENNY, CHIEF PENN SAYS WHILE THIS BUDGET MAY PASS, AS IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WILL REMAIN TOP OF MIND. WINSTON-SALEM CITY LEADERS SAY THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR HAS TWO MAJOR GOALS ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE AND DEALING WITH THE RISE IN INFLATION. ONE OF THE WAYS THEY HOPE TO DO THAT IS BY GETTING RID OF 50 VACANT POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS. IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT WE WOULD HAVE 150 PEOPLE JOIN US IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. HOWEVER, I ASSURE YOU I WOULD LOVE TO GO BEFORE BEFORE COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED THOSE 50 BACK. WE GOT OVER 100 PEOPLE WANTING TO DO THIS JOB. SO I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO OCCUR. BUT HOWEVER, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY. SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO KEEP OUR STAFF AND WE WANT TO MAKE THE WINSTON-SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT MAN ATTRACTIVE FOR OTHERS. EDDIE CALDWELL IS THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. HE SAYS WHAT WE’RE SEEING WITH THIS PROPOSAL AND REDIRECTION OF FUNDS IS NOT UNIQUE TO JUST WINSTON-SALEM A NUMBER OF AGENCIES LOOK AT THAT KIND OF SHIFT IN FUNDING AS WE’RE GOING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME OF NOT JUST FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT FOR ALL PROFESSIONS, FILLING VACANCIES, THIS POTENTIAL CUT OF THE VACANT POSITIONS WOULD ALSO HELP WITH THE INCREASE IN THE POLICE PAY PLAN, MAKING THE STARTING SALARY FOR A POLICE. OFFICER $52,500 AND MORE COMPETITIVE WITH NEIGHBORING CITIES. THEIR WIDE DISPARITIES BETWEEN NEIGHBORING AGENCIES NATURALLY, THE ONE WITH THE MOST SALARY IS GOING TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN RECRUITING AND IN RETENTION OF OFFICERS. AND SO A LOT OF OFFICERS WORK FOR AN AGENCY. THEY WORK FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY’RE VERY LOYAL. BUT AT SOME POINT YOU CAN’T PAY THE GROCERIES WITH YOUR LOYALTY. CALDWELL WENT ON TO SAY, WHILE IT’S NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE THESE EFFORTS IN MAKING AN AGENCY MORE DESIRABLE FOR HIRING, IT ALSO SHOULDN’T TAKE AWAY FROM CLOSING THE WINDOW OF VACANCIES THE HOPE IS THAT AS THE ABILITY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO FILL THOSE VACANT POSITIONS AS THEY START GETTING FILLED BACK THEN AT THAT TIME, THE CITY WILL PUT THOSE 50 POSITIONS BACK SO THAT THERE’LL BE MORE COVERAGE OUT ON THE STREETS. AND SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE THINKS THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORTING THIS CAUSE AND ALSO WITH CITY COUNCIL, WITH HELPING TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT MORE DESIRABLE. AS A REMINDER WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL, TOMORROW, WE WILL SEE THE FIRST PUBLIC BRIEFING THAT BEGINS AT 6 P.M. WE’RE LIVE TONIGHT IN