City funds two new Kalispell officers

The 2016 budget for the city of Kalispell included room for two new police officers.

Early budget talks indicated that one additional officer may be funded, but with a grant opportunity, the city sprang for two.

“I appreciate that support, and it’s going to be kind of like plugging a hole in the dam,” Kalispell Police Chief Roger Nasset said. “We have to figure out where we’re going to place these officers.”

The department is currently at full staff, with no officers on probationary status and none injured. But personnel levels have been stagnant over the past half decade while calls for service have increased.

The latest numbers for this year show 19,893 calls through Aug. 11, according to a memo from City Manager Doug Russell. At this time last year, the department had taken 19,201 calls.

The trend has been ongoing since 2008, and the department force has held steady at 35 officers.

“We’re in dire need of new uniforms on the street to respond to calls, so that’s where we’re going to go,” Nasset said.

He added that on Monday, some officers had double-digit reports backlogged. Catching up on that work takes them off of street patrol.

Additional officers would help fill a thin overnight shift and allow for more patrol flexibility.

Two new officers will cost $115,040 in the first year. That amount will be partially funded through a grant from the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

The grant would pay up to $125,000 over three years. In study sessions, some officials voiced concern about relying on a temporary grant for a long-term staff position.

But council members made it apparent early on that they wanted to bolster the police force. At Monday’s City Council meeting, one member said that he is confident that the city will work out the funding.

“I feel real comfortable with that portion of it,” council member Phil Guiffrida said.

Nasset said his department hopes to post an ad for one of the positions this week. The department will find out this fall if the grant is awarded and post for the other position at that time.

New officers will go through the application, testing and interview process with the department. If accepted, they would then start on the field training program.

In January, the officers would head to Helena for the police academy. After that, there is still a training period in Kalispell.

“We won’t see a new officer on the street, fully ready to go, until May next year,” Nasset said.

He added that the department has received as many as 100 applicants for previous positions, and  already has been contacted by interested candidates for the upcoming openings.

Because two retirements are expected by year’s end, that applicant group may be tapped to replace those officers.

“We’re hoping that this hiring pool is a deep one,” Nasset said. “Because we’re looking at potentially hiring four [staff members] from it.”

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.