Nolanville police working long days
Posted On: Saturday, Dec. 19 2009 05:34 AM
By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily HeraldNOLANVILLE – It has been almost two months since a small portion of the city staff made its way back to work, but things are not back to normal.
In late October, the Nolanville City Council gave the order to rehire three out of about 12 to 15 employees, most of whom were police officers. Two police officers and one public works assistant came back to work.
Since then, Detective Charles Kline has come in a bit earlier than when his shift starts. He sits at his desk and works on reports like normal, but the workload has increased.
"I am doing a lot more, of course," Kline said. "The work piled up while we were gone."
During months of having only a police chief and volunteer officers, reports stacked up, and now Kline works several jobs. Kline is a detective by title, but it's only part of his duties; however, according to the City Council-approved salary, Kline is a patrol officer.
"I work on reports until I get done or until I think I need to patrol, then I go on patrol," Kline said. "I try to patrol the entire city."
Traveling up and down the city streets and looking at areas like you should takes roughly an hour and half, said Chief Lester Holsey Jr., who patrols during his shift, too.
On most days, Kline tries to work on reports and do follow up interviews for crimes for 75 percent of a shift, but that 75 percent easily flips to answer residents' calls for service, patrolling and being dispatched by the county communication center.
"It is taking a little longer, but we are getting stuff done," Kline said.
Residents shouldn't worry, Holsey said. The officers are still working and working hard. The two officers donate portions of their non-working hours to fill in the gaps and a number of reserve or volunteer officers work a minimum of 24 hours a month.
Harker Heights police and Bell County Sheriff's officers help cover Nolanville, too, Holsey said.
Those departments respond to a scene if Nolanville officers are not available or come to provide backup, Holsey said.
"Before it was one hand washes the other deal, but now ... they are helping, and we aren't washing back," Holsey said.
Everyone's help is very much appreciated, Holsey added.
It will take more officers to get work back to a point where the department doesn't feel like it is falling behind, but those officers are not coming any time soon.
The city is sticking to its budget this year, which only called for a total of three police officers including the chief, Mayor Emma McCullough said.
Over budgeting and a slowing economy is what caused the layoffs, according to Herald archives.
McCullough was not sure when the city would hire more officers, but said it won't happen this year.
With the absence of their five fellow officers, the remaining officers have learned to adapt to the restricted numbers by prioritizing cases.
"You find yourself doing a lot stuff that should have been done yesterday," Holsey said.
Contact Mason W. Canales at
mcanales@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7554.