Councilperson: SPD on track to become one of youngest departments in US

The Springfield Police Department lost 400 years of experience with 2020 retirements.

That statistic was shared by Springfield City Councilperson Craig Hosmer at last night’s meeting.

Hosmer raised the issue to ask City Manager Jason Gage what city staff members are doing about a possible rehire program for retired police officers. Gage said the city is waiting for a report on the issue, but Hosmer said council had been waiting for several months.

“We lost 400 years – 400 years of police officer experience through retirement last year,” he said. “We’re going to have one of the youngest police departments in the country if we don’t do something.”

While the city has made some improvements in its recruitment of new officers, Hosmer said, something must be done to get experienced officers to stay.

“Our retirement plan incentivizes those officers to retire,” Hosmer said. “Some officers want to retire after 25 years and they deserve to retire, but some officers would be willing to come back and serve the city of Springfield to help in the fight against crime at a time where we’re almost 70 officers short.” The SPD’s 2020 Annual Report shows the department has 335 sworn officers and 72 nonsworn staff. The sworn rank breaks down to a chief, two majors, four captains, 13 lieutenants, 36 sergeants, 45 corporals and 267 officers.

SPD’s budget in 2020 was $42.18 million, of which $28.8 million came from the city’s general fund. Roughly 35% of the general fund budget was allocated to SPD in 2020.

The annual report lists 25 human retirees, 16 sworn officers among them, and the retirements of two police service dogs, who had 15 years of experience between them.

Hosmer raised the concern that similar numbers could retire in 2021.

“I know it takes time to go through these processes, but 400 years in 2020 – I think we’re going to be looking at the same exodus in 2021, and I think it’s something we have to correct if we’re ever seriously going to get a handle on the problems we’ve got with crime in the city,” he said.

He added that it is important to hold on to officers that Springfield has paid to train.

“I appreciate the challenge,” Gage replied. “It’s been a challenge for us even as we look at that technical legal aspect. … The challenge is the same challenge that we’ve seen across the country.”

Gage added that retirement is attractive to officers who are of age.

“It takes quite a significant lure to keep them in that job when they can retire and go off and perhaps earn income in another job,” he said.

He added that he expects a formal response soon.

According to the Springfield website, police officer retirement is paid 100% by the city with no employee contribution required. “We are especially proud of our retirement program which includes the most robust option (L-11) available through MO-LAGERS,” the website states

MO-LAGERS is the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System Pension Program.

The website explains that police officers are eligible to retire with unreduced benefits at age 55, and a vested officer may elect to retire with reduced benefits as early as age 50.

The 2020 Crime Report of the Springfield Police Department includes 25,458 total offenses, of which 27.5%, were cleared. There were 5,840 crimes against persons (41.9% cleared); 18,861 crimes against property (15.9% cleared); and 2,757 crimes against society (67.8% cleared).

The department completed 6,554 total arrests, of which 300 were juveniles.