Police and fire departments in small towns such as Parsons face a multitude of problems recruiting and retaining officers and a big portion of that problem is pay. “I’ve got multiple positions open in the police department because I’ve been cherry-picked by private industry and the larger departments who can throw money at my officers,” Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks. “Is that something new? No.” Spinks said it has been that way for 25 years under three different chiefs of police and various city managers and city commission members. The Parsons Police Department has gone through 100 staff members since 2009, Spinks said.
Source: Parsons Sun
