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Durango Police fully staffed despite trying times in law enforcement

Ever since he was a boy, Padraic Ingle subscribed to the principles of nonviolence.

But as an adult, Ingle realized he adopted those beliefs from a point of privilege: Those who serve in the military and law enforcement kept violence at bay, he said.

About 1½ years ago, Ingle, 31, decided to challenge his notions of pacifism by becoming a peace officer.

“I almost felt like I was in a silver tower, just kind of saying my own things without actually experiencing it,” said Ingle, who is also pastor at Faith Community Church of the Nazarene, southeast of Durango.

On Thursday, the Durango Police Department swore in four new officers, including Ingle, bringing staffing levels up to almost a full crew for the first time in recent years.

Recruitment of police officers is a challenge at departments across the country. The pay is typically below median income, hours are difficult for families, and the standards are so rigid that interested candidates are often disqualified.

What’s more, the profession has come under scrutiny in recent years with videos showing purported incidents of excessive force and questionable shootings that have sparked widespread allegations of police brutality, especially involving minorities.

More recently, police officers themselves have come under attack, literally, by gun-wielding vigilantes. Sixty-nine officers have died so far this year in the line of duty, including 32 by gunfire, according to www.odmp.org, which tracks law enforcement deaths.

So why would anyone want to become a police officer nowadays?

Ingle said he wants to lead by example when it comes to creating a better community and society.

“I would say that I’m not your normal police officer with some of my convictions and views,” he said. “However, I’m not going to limit my safety because of some of those views, and I’m not going to limit the safety of my officers.

“I also care for the people in our society,” he said, “and I want to see everybody have the opportunity and the chance to thrive and grow.”

The Durango Police Department is aggressively recruiting officers in an effort to beef up staffing levels, which have been down “double digits” in recent years, said Lt. Ray Shupe, spokesman for the department. With the swearing in of four new officers, the department has 54 officers of the 55 it is allotted.

Turnover was especially fierce in 2014 and early 2015, when 15 officers parted ways for various reasons. Several cited scheduling changes, low morale and lack of communication with the command staff as reasons for leaving.

Shupe said the department tries to recruit officers who are going to stay for the long term, but circumstances change in people’s lives. In exit interviews, officers have cited lack of day care and a tough housing market as reasons for leaving, he said.

“It’s literally different person to person,” he said.

The current climate in law enforcement hasn’t helped morale.

“It definitely takes a mental and emotional toll on the officers,” Shupe said. “We put others before ourselves, so when we have people literally hunting and assassinating police officers just because they wear the uniform, it definitely sends ripple effects through the community of law enforcement as a whole.”

James Foster, who also was sworn in Thursday, is no stranger to political strife and societal unrest. He voluntarily served four years in the Marines during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“Joining the police department with the current times is pretty much the same deal – bad times going on,” said Foster, who worked as a military police officer. “But I personally believe somebody has to do the job. ... I don’t have to do it, but I’m choosing to do it willingly, and I know what the consequences are if things get bad.”

The starting pay at the Durango Police Department is $24.75 an hour, or $51,480 per year. By comparison, the median income in Durango is $53,621, according to 2014 U.S. Census data.

To become an officer, applicants must complete a 3½ month academy, a training course, a three-week mini academy with the department and about 3½-months of field training.

The best officers tend to have a passion for serving others, Shupe said. But they also need to have a relatively clean background. Certain crimes or drug use can eliminate someone from becoming an officer, even if they do have the passion to serve, he said.

“We have such an ethical standard in law enforcement,” Shupe said. “It’s really a very unique set of skills we look for in recruiting, and not everyone fits the bill.”

Ingle said it’s easy to stand on the sidelines and critique, but he prefers to be a part of the solution.

“There’s a great relation between the community and law enforcement here,” he said. “We could even become a good example for the nation of how we work together and how we respect each other.”

shane@durangoherald.com

Feb 21, 2015
Police force sees flight


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