(4/18) While by all marks, the Thurmont Police Department is one of the best in any municipality in Maryland, it faces the same dilemma police departments across the country face - recruiting and retaining top talent.
At their April 18th meeting, the Town Council gave Chief Greg Eyler a very ‘big carrot’ – an enhanced pension program, that will, as Eyler said, "go a long, long way in helping Thurmont not only fill the open slots in its police ranks, but fill them with the very best."
The Thurmont Police Department is authorized for a staff of 14, but currently has only 11 officers on the payroll. Eyler said that unfortunately there is a ‘churn’ at the ‘new higher level’ that has cost the town close to $100,000 during his tenure. The cost comes from not only the hiring process, but the initial training the town invests in each officer, which is all lost when newly qualified officers leave for better paying positions at other police departments.
While Thurmont has gone to great lengths over the last few years to match or exceed the pay officers could get at other departments, recruitment and retaining has been hurt by the current pension system under which its officers serve.
Currently, as Town of Thurmont employees, police officers are enrolled in the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. Under this system, employees, including Thurmont’s police officers, are not eligible to retire until they have put in 30 years. Even then, the benefits they receive pale in comparison to what other police departments can offer.
To address this issue, the Town Council voted to transition the police department out of the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System and into the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System (LEOPS).
"LEOPS is a defined benefit plan geared specifically for police officers," said Mayor Kinnaird. "Under LEOPS, Thurmont’s Police Officers will now not only be allowed to retire after 25 years of service, but will be able to retire with much better benefits.
"We value our officers," Kinnaird said, "and we will stop at nothing to make sure we have the best police department going. We’ve given them their own building, ensured they have new cars every two years, the best equipment, but this is an investment in them directly that will pay off handsomely for the town."
Kinnaird recalled the names of all the police offices that have served the Town over his life. Officers, he said, who served their entire career in Thurmont. The list of names drew head nods of recognition from the council members.
Looking to the back of the council room, where the members of the police department sat, Kinnaird said he hopes the pension improvements would entice officers to stay and join the ranks of those he and his fellow commissioners fondly remember. His plea was met by head nods and broad smiles from all the officers, officers who where clearly proud to wear the Thurmont Police uniform.
