Vineyard police chiefs said they are grappling with the Island's dearth of affordable housing, a wave of retirements and the next generation’s waning interest in policing.
An Island-wide shortage of full-time police officers has rocked the Aquinnah department, forcing it to get creative to keep the ranks fully staffed.
For the first time, the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office will deploy special duty officers to the town on a rotational basis to help fill a 40-hour vacancy that arose following officer David Murphy’s retirement on April 17. The town waited two months for someone to apply for the job but received no submissions.
“I thought a little bit out of the box,” police Chief Randhi Belain said at a recent select board meeting.
Police chiefs across the Island said the move is not surprising, and may be a sign of things to come as police departments grapple with the Island’s dearth of affordable housing, a wave of retirements and the next generation’s waning interest in policing.
Chief Matt Mincone said officers tend to go to larger towns with better pay.
Chief Matt Mincone said officers tend to go to larger towns with better pay.
Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden said agreements like the one in Aquinnah are happening in several departments across the state, which are facing staff shortages.
“We’re not here to take over,” he said at the Aquinnah meeting. “We’re not here to assume complete policing obligations. We are here to merely support and benefit this fine town.”
Many of the Island’s police departments are understaffed. Tisbury has five full-time vacancies and both Edgartown and West Tisbury have one open position. Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin did not respond to requests for comment.
Oak Bluffs is fully-staffed, though police Chief Jonathon Searle said he worries about the future. He explained that many officers move off-Island because of the affordable housing crisis.
“A police officer potentially makes too much money to qualify for affordable housing but not enough money to buy a house,” Chief Searle said.
Four Oak Bluffs officers in recent years moved to the Hanson Police Department in Plymouth County where housing is more affordable, Chief Searle said. He explained that the officers who remain on-Island tend to go to whatever department offers the highest pay.
“The Island’s becoming competitive,” Chief Searle said.
West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone said an officer he employed for the past eight years switched over to Edgartown last month. Many up-Island officers are beginning to seek larger departments that can offer higher compensation, he said.
“We’re developing officers, and then they’re leaving to head down-Island,” Chief Mincone said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the long run when there’s no one else from up-Island and we’re going down-Island to fill their ranks.”
He said the West Tisbury department had to reduce its services at Martha’s Vineyard Airport because the department is too understaffed. The airport requires two officers to screen flights and assist with Transportation Security Administration, and is now utilizing the sheriff’s office for coverage.
Edgartown Chief Chris Dolby welcomes new officer Nikolaj Wojtkielo.
Edgartown Chief Chris Dolby welcomes new officer Nikolaj Wojtkielo.
Chief Mincone said he’s concerned that the department’s remaining officers who are working overtime to compensate for the shortage will get burned out.
“I’m not worried about safety as an issue of working too much, because they can say no, right, but I’m just concerned about [when] the demands of the summer come around,” Chief Mincone said.
Edgartown police Chief Chris Dolby said his department has been understaffed for the past couple of years though the department is in good standing.
“We’re good,” he said. “Understaffed is just the status quo. [We] have enough to get the job done.”
The town prides itself on raising young cops, and Chief Dolby himself started with the Edgartown department when he was 18 years old working as a traffic officer. However, throughout his tenure he’s witnessed interest in the profession start to dwindle.
“For the longest time since I’ve been here, we’ve always had a line of people waiting for a position to open up,” Chief Dolby said. “That’s just not the case anymore.”
He said the most significant impact has been police reform that requires more training for young officers.
“When I started, we had summer police officers [who] came home from college and went through a week of training [where] you got a badge and a gun, and you’re an actual police officer with arrest powers,” Chief Dolby said. “Things change more and all for the better, as far as I’m concerned, but it has put a strain on us where we don’t have that feeder program now.”
Chief Dolby said the current feeder program is their community service officer positions, which are non-sworn and unarmed positions that give budding officers more responsibility than a traffic position, and help encourage them to pursue careers in law enforcement. He said the department has had great success with the program.
Many of the Island police chiefs have varying thoughts about regionalization as a long-term solution. The up-Island towns have regionalized their ambulance service, but police chiefs had some concerns about how a regional police force would work.
Chief Searle and Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekost said the devil is in the details and explained that it would be difficult to determine who pays what for a regionalized police department. Chief Dolby had similar questions, but said he is focused on leading the Edgartown department the way it is.
Chief Belain plans to retire in June next year, and is concerned about the future of the Aquinnah department if it can’t find anyone to fill what could be two open positions out of the total four. He said a majority of the up-Island police officers are of retirement age, and the three departments should start having conversations about regionalizing.
Chief Mincone is not sure regionalization is the best solution for the Island. He said affordable housing would do more to help the departments while preserving the culture of each town.
“The second you take that individual patch off an officer’s arm, you take the culture of that town away with it,” Chief Mincone said.
Comments
Maybe more would be
Mark EdgartownMaybe more would be interested in a career here if the Police community weren’t vilified at every turn…
I disagree. The vast majority
Michael Vineyard HavenI disagree. The vast majority of people here and across the U.S. appreciate the service our police, fire, first responders, teachers. Your comment appear to be off base.
How dysfunctional has the
William R Cumming FALMOUTHHow dysfunctional has the island become. Year by year the problem becomes worse. Next the police, fire and teachers will be commuting from the Cape.
Solutions are not complicated, either 1) double the worker pay, or 2) The towns build the housing. Both will raise taxes! This is a math/financial problem and every year it will continue to grow.
It's not next, it's already
Rob WarehamIt's not next, it's already happening. The boats all have several teachers, firefighters, emts, and even police officers that take the boat to work every day. I had one police officer tell me that he sleeps at his desk on on the floor of the police station when the ferries cancel or theres not enough time to go home in between shifts.
It’s a wage problem. Limiting
Well saidIt’s a wage problem. Limiting our commerce won’t solve the problem. It’ll just hurt the people at the bottom once again just like most regulations. We live in a world where young folks don’t choose conventional career paths not everything can be blamed on housing.
Chief Belain is 100% correct
Tom Engley West TisburyChief Belain is 100% correct it time to regionalize start with Chilmark and Aquinnah see how it works.
I’ve asked for Schools to do the same. On big school system.
Bigger is not better. We are
Sara Piazza EdgartownBigger is not better. We are 6(ish) towns with unique personalities and needs. Please do not turn this place into any more of a mish-mosh than it is.
What is their salary? An
JT MVWhat is their salary? An honest question. That is why there is a shortage, because what they are offering is not a livable wage on Martha's Vineyard. Plain and simple.
How come everything inflates but wages? Why is that?
There's more to the story
seasonal mvy and mainlandThere's more to the story than housing costs. Here in NJ the cost of a 'starter' home is probably 800k, but the property taxes on that home are almost 20k per year, vs 4k in Edgartown. Here in NJ police must take a civil service test. The rules for hiring, in order of preference, are municipal residents, county residents, then state residents. Historically there were hundreds of applicants from the local municipality, so those hired were locals, familiar with residents, and had ties to the town. That pipeline dried up with lack of applicants, so they hired a few from the county... this year for the first time that pipeline dried up and they had to hire state residents.. WHY? Its a great paying job, great pensions, 25 years to retire.. but with the anti-police rhetoric nobody want to be a cop. Everyone looking at every move with a cellphone camera. Politicians pushing to remove 'qualified immunity'. So many applicants who would be great cops have chosen other careers in law enforcement federally, even though the pay is less.
I have lived here for 40
Christine SengeI have lived here for 40 years and continue to find it ridiculous that there has to be six individual civic entities. Regionalization is the way to go for the future: police, fire, ambulance services, schools, and health department.
Agree 100%. Regionalization
Michael Vineyard HavenAgree 100%. Regionalization would free up a lot of dollars now dedicated to redundant activities across multiple towns. One could use the savings to increase salaries without having to raise taxes.
Like it or not, the answer
Inde West TisburyLike it or not, the answer will come in a market correction. I am certain that this summer will show a big slowing down of tourism (it hasn’t been a good experience for upper middle class tourists lately) and with that a decrease in workforce population. Next will be a housing market correction. The middle class tax payers cannot afford the increases that would enable teachers and police to purchase $1 million dollar plus houses. Until the markets correct we will have to find other ways…
I disagree. I have been
Marie EdgartownI disagree. I have been looking off Island for a home. Prices are just as high. I am not talking waterfront. A ranch house needing work outside of Boston are all close to 1 million. So I don’t really get when people talk about the high costs on the island.
I rent my house this year looks much better than last year. I am hearing more people are booking up.
You are correct about a
just a thought mvYou are right about a market correction. Many seasonal homeowners expect their rental income to defray the cost of ownership. Last year the rental market softened and prices declined. Now, when the seasonal homeowner gets another shock.. their homeowners insurance bill that tripled from 5000 to 15000 there is NO WAY they can raise the rents to cover that. So the for-sale sign will go up. Many people who bought years ago before the market went skyhigh will be able to sell and still pocket a nice profit.. and move along. When inventory of homes increases (as it will), prices will decrease if the seller wants it gone. Oppportunities will be there to get a much more attractive deal than today.
I am a life long Islander. If
Greg EdgartownI am a life long Islander. If I had the money, which I don’t . I would be buying up real estate. I see the island at a low right now, but in 2-3 years we will have another surge.
There are three 40B
George EdgThere are three 40B developments in front of the MVC now which have affordable housing components. Will any of them pass? Probably not. The MVC needs to be taken out of the process with regard to 40B projects. State law requires 10% affordable housing and if not, 40B developments are allowed. The courts need to reinforce this and take the MVC out with their process and illegal extortion practices.
Nix regionalization. I like
Lorraine EdgartownNix regionalization. I like my Edgartown just the way it is. It is managed very well, it still has a village flavor, it is eminently walkable, still has some neighborly areas, so, to me, there is no value in regionalization.
Seriously. But these people
Sara Piazza EdgartownSeriously. But these people can't help themselves. It is so tempting because we are one neatly triangular shaped chunk of land in the middle of the water. "We should all be one." Bigger is not better. What a mess it would be. Besides, you don't hear people talking about combining Brookline, Cambridge, and Newton, do you? But for some reason people want to cram 6 unique towns into one entity. No, absolutely not. Never.
The housing affordability
John Aldeborgh KatamaThe housing affordability problem is not confined to the police department, it impacts everyone on the island at some level. The only answer is affordable housing and I don’t see the will to make that happen in our current political leadership.
My opinion on police staffing is who in their right mind would want to become a policeman in today’s world. Our culture has materially changed and reached the point where we practically demonize the police, who are constantly attacked and disrespected. Kids from my generation used to dream of becoming a police officer, I’m not seeing that anymore.
Land bank collects millions
michael chilmarkLand bank collects millions of $$$/yr from RE Sales.
This presumably goes towards the purchase of land for preservation.
When will we realize the better uses of at least some of these proceeds.
Seems we could subsidize teachers/police officer/healthcare worker/fire dept wages with at least a portion of these revenues.
I agree with "George, Edg".
rick aquinnahI agree with "George, Edg". There is and has been too many "self-important" committee to entangle, confuse and control needed projects.
regionalization is not the
Michael Edgartownregionalization is not the solution. All it will do is make places like edgartown which is well managed and fiscally responsible absorb education costs of other island towns that have higher mill and tax rates. Keep the island governments the way that they are.misland should look at drop plans that places in Midwest use to retain talent when they get to retirement ages. The officers get to retire they enter drop and their pension payment go into an annuity and they can work up to five more years. It decreases new hire costs and keeps top talent.
All the island Police
Bill MAAll the island Police Departments should merge with the Sheriff's Office, who then should assume responsibility for policing the entire island. One agency would be able to police the island more efficiently and and effectively. As a 37yr veteran in law enforcement, having worked in MA and FL, the sheriff's office is a much more effective model of policing, especially on an island like Martha's Vineyard. The sheriff is elected, therefore, accountable to the people/voters, rather than an appointed police chief.
forget regionalization.
michael edgartownforget regionalization. that just adds more politicians, and watching other towns, with their dysfunctionality, no thanks. edgartown functions just fine. all you have to do is read the constant problems in west tisbury and tisbury and o.b. stay away please.
Since police pay vs the very
Tom IslanderSince police pay vs the very high cost of living here makes it difficult, if not impossible for many highly qualified officers to Work & Live here, has the idea of residents who own large homes w/extra rooms or guest houses etc, renting them to new officers at a affordable price? Just a thought.
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