SAVANNAH, GA (April 5, 2013): Reserve officers are being recruited for the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department to augment the department’s current staff.
Savannah’s Mayor-Council approved the program requested by Police Chief Willie Lovett and endorsed by City Manager Stephanie Cutter in March. Details have been worked out through the department’s recruiting and training units.
Former officers in good standing with the department are being sought to volunteer at least 30 hours a quarter in the department. They will be outfitted, equipped and assigned in the manner of full-time officers.
The expansion stems from the 2013 city budget retreat when Lovett requested funding for a Special Events Unit, five additional juvenile officers and a 30-member drug squad that actually had been suggested by council members concerned about citizen.
complaints. Only the drug squad was approved and those funds will be available in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Reserve Officer program begins immediately.
“We are grateful to Mayor-Council for recognizing the financial constraints on the department and allowing us to move forward with the reserve program,” Lovett said.
“Every community would like to have more officers on the streets and every law enforcement agency would like to provide them. But funding issues are a reality and this allows us to begin addressing the needs in some manner now.”
Retired or former officers who left the department in good standing can enter the reserve program immediately. Those who left the department for other law enforcement agencies will utilize a specific application process. Other applicants will be required to complete the state police academy course on their own time and at their own expense. In return, they will be qualified for assignment for off duty and extra duty positions for which they will be paid standard hourly rates.
Interested applicants should contact Gary Taylor, Director of Training, at gtaylor@savannahga.gov.
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