Irmo Police hope to add new trucks, but they continue to face challenges regarding recruitment.

The department is looking to acquire three new Chevy Silverado trucks following first reading approval of the purchase by Irmo Town Council. The vehicles are currently on hold at Love Chevrolet on state contract for a total of $190,024, this cost includes outfitting the trucks with lighting packages and radar.

According to Police Chief Bobby Dale, trucks aren’t typically what the department would look to purchase, but they were the only police-rated vehicle he could get in the state. He said the department was hoping to get Tahoes, also made by Chevrolet, but there is a current shortage of that model.

“Cars have been a huge challenge ever since COVID,” he said. “There is so much back order, we were lucky to find these police rated vehicles when we did.”

Dale said the new trucks will replace some vehicles in the current fleet of 34.

While the equipment is helpful, the department continues to face issues when it comes to staffing.

“We continue to see a decrease in interest from qualified candidates,” Dale said. “We published on social media that we are hiring, however, only about seven candidates applied in a three-week period.”

Dale told the Chronicle that the department's top goal is recruiting new officers, saying that the town’s growth along with increased subdivisions and businesses brings in additional traffic. He said that for the 2024-25 fiscal year budget they are looking to add two officers to the patrol division.

“We would want to have good recruiting processes in place to easily fill the added positions,” he said. “A priority for the department includes retention of officers. If we have solid retention policies in place, recruiting becomes very easy at that point.”

According to Dale, the department recruits through social media and word of mouth. Officers who are able to recruit a candidate that is hired and completes the FTO program are given a bonus.

When the Chronicle spoke to John Hendricks, assistant chief of police, earlier this year, the department had three vacancies they were trying to fill. Dale told the Chronicle that in June and July they were able to get down to one vacancy, but in late July had two officers resign and take jobs as South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy instructors.

Dale said that the recent pay raise the state received was a deciding factor in their separation from the department.

The department did receive a pay raise this year, with its current starting pay set between $44,000 and $48,000, with officers receiving annual cost of living raises.

When it comes to retainment, Dale mentioned that the department offers longevity bonuses, stating that if an officer is stuck in their rank, not being promoted for a variety of reasons, then they get a monetary bonus every three years.