Hargett hoping for more officers

By Staff
Jason Houston FCT Managing Editor
New Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said it didn't take him long to see one thing that needed improving in his department - more people.
The City Council took a step toward alleviating that problem at Monday's meeting, voting to advertise to fill six potential police officer positions.
The city currently has 23 officers, but one just retired and another is planning to retire in February.
Monday's vote didn't guarantee that six officers would be hired, but city councilman Craig Grissom said if revenue trends continue, six new officers are certainly possible.
The city's new budget, which Grissom said he hopes will get approved at the Dec. 20 meeting, will help determine how many officers get hired. The council is still hammering out details of the 2005 budget.
Hargett said the department will change to 12-hour shifts beginning in January, with four groups of officers rotating shifts.
He said if he was able to hire six officers, it would enable him to place one new officer on each shift, plus moving two officers to the positions of compliance officer and litter patrol.
Hargett and the council are also studying plans to acquire new patrol cars for the department, another need Hargett identified upon assuming the chief's job.
The council's next meeting will be Monday night, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m.