Salem Deputy Police Chief Tyler Rose says that with two resignations to take jobs at other police departments, the department is now short five officers on the street.
Rose says Sergeant Garland Simmons is leaving to take a position at the Kaskaskia College Police Department while Sergeant Dan Bosomworth is leaving to join the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department. Simmons is nearing his 20th year on the Salem Police Department, while Bosomworth has been on the force for 12 years.
The department was already three officers short as a result of Rose’s promotion to Deputy Chief and the resignations last year of Ryan Meador, who went to the Secretary of State Police, and Blake Phillips, who joined the Wentzville Police Department.
Rose says they currently have one person in the police academy who will graduate in April and then have to complete his field training. The final two candidates on the Salem Police Department’s eligibility list are currently undergoing screening with hopes of going to the academy in May. A new list of candidates will need to be compiled before the final two positions can be filled. That process is expected to take a few months to complete once the process begins.
Right now, Salem offers a lateral transfer program to experienced officers but no sign-up bonuses that many other departments have gone to as candidates for police positions have dropped.
If all positions are filled, the Salem Police Department has an authorized strength of 18 sworn officers. Until some of the positions are full, Rose does not plan to fill the detective position left open by his promotion.
