ROCK SPRINGS – Rock Springs Police Department officers will see a $1,500 retention bonus coming their way after action by the Rock Springs City Council Tuesday night.

The Council approved the bonus unanimously. The resolution authorizing the payouts allows the Council to revisit the idea and provide another retention bonus in 90 days should they decide it necessary. The department is staffed with 36 officers but is only operating with 27 due to several officers having long-term leave from their positions. Additionally, the department seeks applicants to fill open positions within the department, something RSPD Chief Bill Erspamer says has been difficult not just for Rock Springs, but police departments throughout the nation as various factors associated with the job have resulted in it losing popularity as a career choice.

“It’s a special kind of person that fits the mold and they’re hard to find,” he said.

There is good news for the department as it currently has 10 candidates undergoing background checks, though Erspamer says that number will likely decrease quickly with each step in the hiring process as the pool usually drops by 50% with each test candidates are given.

Erspamer said the police department is working with a marketing firm to find police officers and the department reworking some of its requirements to keep applicants in the hiring pool longer. Using the physical fitness test as an example, he said an applicant would originally not be considered if they failed the fitness test. Now, if they fail the fitness test, they’re still considered for employment should they pass the other tests and are given an opportunity to retake the fitness test.

“We’re no longer eliminating candidates for one failure along the process,” Erspamer said.

While the department doesn’t eliminate someone immediately for failing, Erspamer said the department remains committed to hiring quality candidates.

“As hungry as we are for people, we don’t want to lower our standards,” he said.

Erspamer said the city’s Civil Service Commission he works with, which is made of up of Councilman David Thompson, Mike Lopiccolo and Charlie Van Over, has also been a great help in helping recruit officers. The commission was formed in part to prevent administrative biases from impacting hiring and promotional decisions. While the group meets once a month, members have been much more active with the police department. Thompson said the group will be sitting in on oral boards taking place Wednesday.

“We are working with them, and they are putting in the effort to build up our police department,” Thompson said.

Regarding the bonuses, Mayor Max Mickelson said the city administration had to name it something, but said the gesture was more done in appreciation to officers who have stuck with the city while being asked to “go above and beyond” while the department works to bring more officers on board.

“It’s our way of saying, ‘Hey, we know we’re asking more of you than you signed up for because we’re in this position and we are working to fix it,” Mickelson said. “In the meantime, here’s some compensation, thank you, we appreciate you.”

Anyone interested in applying to be an officer can contact Kelly Battisi, the department’s career service specialist, at 307-249-2071.