City Council talks about police hiring and continuing downtown progress

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The Vincennes Police department is changing its hiring process.

It’s hoped that the change will attract more experienced candidates for police jobs in the city.

The Vincennes Sun Commercial reports that Police Chief Dusty Luking wants to implement a “lateral hiring process”.

Currently the department markets itself to those who’ve never been an officer before.  The city then puts them through the police academy and other training.  That process can take a year before the officers is on the streets working alone.   The process creates lots of turnover.

The newspaper reports that under Luking’s plan an experienced officer could transfer into the VPD at first-class patrolman pay, $39,165 per year, which is $3,000 more than a rookie officer would make.

Under the current policy, even an officer with three or four years of experience somewhere else would have to take a pay cut and be demoted to a rookie.

There would also be incentives in the number of vacation days offered and, possibly, a take-home car offered as well.

The Merit Commission and City Council have signed off on the idea.

 


 

 

The Vincennes City Council voted to move forward with a $40,000 study to outline continued downtown Main Street improvements.

The Vincennes Sun Commercial reports the recent renovation of the Hills Building by Pioneer Oil, the ongoing Second Street facelift and plans to begin the long-awaited River Walk this fall, has put downtown on a path of of success they want to see keep moving.

. Bloomington-based SDG has been selected as the firm to put the revitalization plan together, and it will look at facade improvements for the stores as well as other facets like new lighting, storm-water infrastructure improvements, better signage and even benches and additional flower pots from First Streets east to 11th Street.

The newspaper says the plan l also look at transportation issues — like the best location for a bike lane and areas for additional parking — and even what kinds of businesses would likely be most successful on Main Street.

If the city is gets the grant for the study they’ll will have to fund a local match.