Town Council Approves LEOPS For Berlin Police

BY CHARLENE SHARPE STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Municipal officials voted unanimously this week to enroll in the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System (LEOPS).

In an attempt to improve police recruitment and retention efforts, Berlin officials agreed on Monday to enter into LEOPS. The program will cost more than $300,000 a year but is expected to dramatically increase the town’s ability to keep law enforcement officers on staff.

“To have 100% support is something that makes the officers know they’re being supported,” Police Chief Arnold Downing said. “I think it’s going to be great for retention.”

The Berlin Town Council hosted a work session Monday to discuss plans to enroll in LEOPS, something that’s been discus- sed in town for years. Kelsey Jensen, the town’s human resources director, told the council at least 60% of the current police force needed to support enrolling in the system in order for the town to do so. She said when the town’s officers had been polled, 100% of them wanted to enroll.

Currently, the town spends about $929,000 in payroll for police each year. State retirement costs for those officers is about $101,000 a year. Moving to LEOPS will cost the town not quite $343,000 a year if it maintains a force of 14 officers. When asked if the number of officers on staff was likely to increase, Downing said he hoped so. He pointed out that changes like a 24-hour Royal Farms and new apartment complexes like Oceans East, there was a greater need for law enforcement.

“Staff growth is dependent on the growth of the town,” Councilman Dean Burrell said.

Downing pointed out that the town used to have 15 officers on staff when its population was less than it is now. When asked how many people would be eligible for retirement once the town moved to LEOPS, Downing said there were five who would be eligible, as those five each have over 25 years of service. He added that the average age of his officers was 47.

Mayor Zack Tyndall said officials needed to decide if they wanted to use annual casino revenues to fund LEOPS. He added that if they did that, however, he thought a LEOPS stabilization fund of $300,000 should also be established in case casino revenue ever dropped.

Though Councilman Jack Orris suggested using some of the money earmarked for capital projects to set up the fund, Tyndall said the town could use the casino revenues that were left over after the town had paid off its new police station.

“That way it’s not coming from capital,” Tyndall said.

Councilman Jay Knerr said he wanted the town to enroll in LEOPS but didn’t want to use casino revenue to fund the program forever. He suggested decreasing the amount of casino revenue used for the annual expense gradually over three years, a concept he said had been proposed by Councilman Steve Green. He said LEOPS should be a general fund expense like payroll. Then casino revenue could be used for a variety of projects throughout town.

“I didn’t want to see us tied up with one specific source,” he said.

Green agreed.

“I like a diversified approach,” he said.

Councilman Dean Burrell echoed the sentiment.

“I don’t believe casino funds should be used in perpetuity,” he said, adding that he did want to see the town enrolled in the program as soon as possible.

Councilwoman Shaneka Nichols said she didn’t think three years was long enough to wean LEOPS away from casino revenues. She pointed out that once LEOPS became a general fund expense, it could contribute to the need for a tax increase.

“Your citizens are going to have a hard