Maurice police force growing

MAURICE — Matching the Village of Maurice’s own growth, its police department will get a little bigger.
The Maurice Board of Aldermen voted to hire an additional full-time police officer. The vote came after a request form Police Chief Warren Rost.
“The last council and administration had authorized a full-time position for the department,” Rost said. “That was a couple of years ago and we never filled that position.”
Rost told the aldermen, each of whom officially took office in January, that he currently has two applicants qualified to fill the position.
“Before going ahead and making a move,” Rost said, “I wanted to pass this by you and see if this council felt the same as the other council, as far as increasing the department’s size.”
The position will be for a night shift. That will give the village two officers patrolling at night.
“That will give us two people at night every night of the week,” Rost said.
The department has two full-time officers on duty during the day. The department also has a part-time officer who fills in during night shifts.
“I think it’s great if we can have a second (full-time) night officer on duty,” Aldermen Lynn Howell said. “With all the goings-on, it makes sense.”
Rost said the continued growth of the village, which now has more than 1,400 residents, makes it a necessity.
“The city is growing,” Rost said. “There is new construction coming up and a lot of thefts happen at night. You will have building materials on the ground at a lot of different places. Residents who live in those areas are our best eyes, but we still have to patrol those areas. Any time you have new construction, you are going to have somebody looking to pick up something for free.
“With one night person, with the area we have to cover, it’s a little tough.”
Aldermen Kenneth “Keno” Picard agreed.
“I think it is definitely needed,” Picard said.
The new hire will be subject to the standard starting salary. Rost said he will conduct the interview process and bring the results to the next general Board of Aldermen meeting, scheduled for July 15.
“I will have the candidate with me and officially recommend the hire,” Rost said.