GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Georgetown Police Department is one of many central Kentucky law enforcement agencies that is facing a staffing shortage.
“We’re seven officers short currently, and we are just trying to fill spots to get our staffing up to help alleviate our current patrol in taking calls for service for our community,” explained Assistant Police Chief Josh Nash.
The department recently took to Facebook to let everyone know that they are hiring both full-time and part-time officers, as well as those who have that have already retired and eligible to continue their careers in public service.
“The retired officer program is a little bit different than the sworn or lateral program that we’re hiring for,” Nash said. “Retired officers are officers that have retired through the Kentucky State Pension System. They come back to work for us. They’re not putting back into the pension system, but they’re on a yearly contract, but they still have a 40-hour work week.”
Georgetown Police Chief Darin Allgood says it’s a difficult line of work but a meaningful one. “Law enforcement is a tough career, and it does require a certain amount of personal toughness, but is also a career that requires a great deal of compassion, patience, courage, and ability to take on unforeseen challenges. It’s our job as sworn officers to stand steadfast against those who had hurt or take advantage of other innocent people,” he shared.
According to Nash,the Georgetown Police Department is a premier agency in central Kentucky and the state of Kentucky. “We hold ourselves to a very high standard of professionalism,” he said.
There are also a variety of jobs within the department for those who might not be interested in ordinary police work.
“You can join the SRT team, which is special response team, our bike unit. We have community relations. We have a drone unit. We have hostage negotiation unit and other units that give officers the ability to do something outside of their normal work duties,” Nash shared.
While staffing shortages in law enforcement are occurring nationwide, the Georgetown Police Department hopes that those interested in making a difference and in protecting their community will apply.
“Right now, with all the other issues going on in this country and the negativity going on with policing right here in central Kentucky and Georgetown, our community backs us,” said Allgood. “They believe in us, and that’s one of the reasons we have a great working relationship with our community.”