Local law enforcement agencies today face many challenges in their efforts to protect and serve them. At the top of the list is a shortage of officers. There’s no sugarcoating when it comes to being a cop. It’s a tough, dangerous job, and one some choose to retire from entirely in favor of another career, Thurmond says. “Not to mention law enforcement. What a toll it takes as a person, on your body.”‘ Chief Thurmond says Officer Butch Boackle is the rare exception. On November 13, he just celebrated his 50th anniversary in the department. Boackle is aware that others do not want to stick around as long as he has. “A lot has changed,” says Boackle. “I agree with you, but you must just want to do this job, especially if you’re going to a specialty. If you go to the K9 or a specialty or something, you have to want to do it. Because when you get off, you have to take care of this animal. He lives with you, stays with you 24/7.” Chief Thurmond says while he’s certainly doing everything he can to recruit more officers, it also helps to lean on experienced officers like Butch Boackle to find new help. “You know, people like Butch are better scouts for people like that than people who wear suits like me,” adds Thurmond. “You know, he gets out and sees people and touches people every day. And those are the people who can find the next butch or cop from Birmingham.” Most law enforcement agencies are faced with some degree of staff shortage and offer things like signing bonuses to make the job more attractive.
Local law enforcement agencies today face many challenges in their efforts to protect and serve them. At the top of the list is a shortage of officers.
There’s no sugarcoating when it comes to being a cop. It’s a tough, dangerous job, and one that some are retiring from in favor of other careers.
“Well, I think nowadays we don’t see people who work 50 years in any profession,” says Scott Thurmond, Birmingham Police Chief. “Not to mention law enforcement. What a toll it takes as a person and on your body.”‘
Chief Thurmond says Officer Butch Boackle is the rare exception. On November 13, he just celebrated his 50th anniversary in the department. Boackle is aware that others do not want to stick around as long as he has.
“It’s changed a lot,” says Boackle. “I agree with you, but you must just want to do this job, especially if you’re going to a specialty. If you go to the K9 or a specialty or something, you have to want to do it. Because if you get off, you have to take care of this animal. He lives with you, stays with you 24/7.”
Chief Thurmond says while he’s certainly doing everything he can to recruit more officers, it also helps to lean on veteran officers like Butch Boackle to find new help.
“You know, people like Butch are better scouts for people like that than people who wear suits like me,” adds Thurmond. “You know, he gets out and sees people and touches people every day. And those are the people who can find the next butch or cop from Birmingham.”
Most law enforcement agencies are affected by staff shortages in some way and offer things like signing bonuses to make the job more attractive.