Montgomery Police Department is set to restructure its leadership and bring on four additional hires after the council approved five positions during its Aug. 25 meeting.
Council approved the creation of one police captain position, three full-time public safety officer positions and one full-time police records clerk position. Each authorization takes effect Oct. 1.
The details
Police Chief Anthony Solomon said the department plans to promote someone internally to captain rather than hire externally. The captain will focus on administrative responsibilities, including grants, budgeting, recruitment, promotions and oversight of patrol operations.
“It’s becoming more of an administrative position, and so it’s time to make that change,” Solomon said.
The promotion will allow the department to place another employee in the lieutenant role, which Solomon said should have a stronger presence outside the office.
“That lieutenant slot needs to be more focused on being out on the streets and available to officers,” Solomon said.
The changes will also create opportunities for additional internal promotions to sergeant. Solomon confirmed the captain position would not increase the department’s overall head count, noting the department has already hired two new employees.
Also of note
Council also approved three public safety officers who will primarily assist with jail operations.
According to the draft job description, their responsibilities will include booking and fingerprinting inmates, maintaining jail security, conducting cell searches, processing bonds and transporting inmates to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office detention center.
The new records clerk will maintain the department’s records management system, process public information requests, review reports for state and federal reporting requirements and assist residents seeking police records.
Solomon said the position will ease the workload on existing staff and improve the department’s recordkeeping. The clerk will also serve as the primary point of contact for visitors at the department’s future facility.
“This will be the person that you’ll see up front when you first come into the new facility,” Solomon said. “It’s a much-needed job.”
What’s next
Although the positions become effective Oct. 1, Solomon said the department does not expect to begin hiring the public safety officers and records clerk until around July 2027.
The positions were included at a reduced amount in the upcoming budget because they are not expected to be filled for about nine months.
“These are proposals that we’ve been making for about the last two years,” Solomon said.
