Council approves hiring two officers amid debate over overtime and scheduling

The Denison City Council approved the hire of two police officers after extended discussion of staffing shortages, overtime payments and scheduling strategies.

City staff and police representatives told the council the department is short two certified officers and that filling both vacancies with experienced, certified hires would reduce overtime and improve coverage. Staff described a prior budgeting approach that effectively double-counted salary and overtime lines; department leaders recommended using scheduled hires plus creative shift management to limit overtime going forward.

Council members pressed staff for quantification and for a plan to track overtime and comp time. Staff described plans to require pre-approval for overtime related to large public events, to encourage comp-time use to reduce payouts, and to trim other budget lines if overtime does not fall as expected. One council member proposed hiring only one officer now; others argued the department needs both hires to reach reliable coverage. The motion to hire two officers was moved, seconded and carried as part of the consent agenda.

Council asked city management to provide follow-up information on projected overtime savings and to work with the police chief on scheduling and training so new hires can be operational quickly.