Jonesville Police consider 48-hour shifts, following a model tried elsewhere

The Jonesville Police Department has posted a job opening to the city’s website for two full-time police officers who would work 48-hour shifts with 96 hours off, similar to what fire departments and some emergency medical service agencies are doing across the country.

While critics claim the 48-hour shift could possibly lead to an increased liability, Jonesville Department of Public Services Director Kurt Etter said officers would be able to rest at the department while on shift and that 96 hours off duty time allows for more downtime with families instead of having officers work day, swing or night shifts four or five days a week.

“This model is being used in the (state of) Washington and is successful,” Etter said. “The officer has built in down time similar to the fire service. The flexibility this schedule gives allows a smaller department to compete with larger agencies for the same small group of applicants.”

Etter said he has not heard of any other police agency in the state of Michigan eyeing the rotating schedule.

In Washington, the small department of Kittitas with four full time officers, switched to the 48/96 rotation earlier this year in an attempt to provide 24 hour patrol coverage and have more time off for their officers, as reported on www.police1.com.

Jonesville’s job posting states the city is focused on officer wellness and family time with a unique schedule.

Officers would “live” at the department for their 48 hour shift and the posting touts a full kitchen, sleeping and showering quarters, cable television and internet are at the officers disposal.

Etter is not the only law enforcement director to think outside the box in an attempt to staff his agency.

Late last year, Sheriff Scott Hodshire successfully lobbied the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners to have the department pay for internal candidates from the sheriff’s corrections or dispatch staff to attend the police academy – a costly training school where candidates become MCOLES certified upon successful completion – instead of competing with hundreds of other agencies for a shrinking number of applicants.

The city of Jonesville has one officer on per shift currently providing patrol coverage for just over 2,000 residents.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Jonesville police department eyeing 48 hour shifts