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ORDINANCE NO. 2023-nL4 <br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS <br />AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE, 2.10, DIVISION 2, SECTION 2.10.033 <br />REGARDING PEACE OFFICERS'TCOLE CERTIFICATION PAY; AMENDING <br />SECTION 2.10.034 THERETO REGARDING LATERAL SENIORITY PAY; <br />PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A <br />SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. <br />WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the Citizens of Paris to have and maintain a fully <br />staffed Police Department; and <br />WHEREAS, the Paris Police Department (the "Department") has experienced a <br />chronic and long-term staffing reduction; and is currently over 50% short in staffing of first- <br />line Patrol Officers; and <br />WHEREAS, the city invests thousands of dollars and many months in training new <br />officers to get them through a police academy and field training; and <br />WHEREAS, pay parity and reduced work load from regional and local law <br />enforcement agencies that do not sponsor new cadets for Basic Peace Officer Training <br />Academies are enticing these newly certified officers away from the Department; and <br />WHEREAS, recruiting efforts have proven insufficient to keep up with the rate of <br />depletion of Sworn Officers; and <br />WHEREAS, The majority of Paris Police Officers who are heavily recruited by other <br />local and regional law enforcement agencies and resign have less than 5 years' experience <br />and are on the lower end of the pay scale; and <br />WHEREAS, currently there is no monetary compensation for a Basic Peace Officer <br />Certification, which can be earned by an officer after one year of service; and <br />WHEREAS, the Department has difficulty recruiting experienced officers because <br />under the current pay structure, such officers are not compensated commensurately with <br />their years of experience; and <br />WHEREAS, authorizing the placement of newly hired experienced officers at a <br />seniority level equivalent to their years of experience will aid in the recruitment of such <br />experienced officers, and the costs associated therewith will be offset by fact that such <br />officers will not require basic police officer training (police academy) and their field training <br />periods are shorter; and <br />WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Paris <br />to modify the existing Certificate Pay Schedule for Texas Commission on Law Enforcement <br />