Monessen votes to replace injured police officer

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Monessen City Council voted Tuesday to temporarily promote a part-time officer to full-time while another officer is unable to work.

Mayor Matt Shorraw said an officer, whom he did not name, was injured outside of work and has been off work since May. He will remain out of work for at least the next six to eight months, Shorraw said.

To avoid massive overtime costs, Shorraw said, police Chief Jim Smith wanted to promote Officer Brittan Laird from part time to full time. 

It would mean a base pay of $28.87 per hour plus benefits, adding an extra $14.44 per hour of cost to the city.

Shorraw said the department has cut down on overtime costs significantly from last year to this year. He said last year, the city spent $25,900 from January to August and this year, the city spent $11,000 in the same time period.

He attributes that savings to the department making a change to 12-hour shifts. 

City Administrator John Harhai said one reason the department needs Laird to move to full time is that with all full-time officers working 12-hour shifts, it’s difficult to ask officers to work overtime safely when they’re already working longer hours.

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