Sparta Creating Auxiliary Police Program To Help Manpower

Sparta will create an Auxiliary Police Officer Program to offset staffing difficulties inside the Police Department.

Sparta Mayor Jerry Lowery said the city has retired police officers and firefighters who have shown interest in working for the department part-time. He said this program allows them to serve as needed without having to attend the Police Academy first.

“Road issues or road closure and things like that, we can use that group of people to help with some manpower where we wouldn’t have to have a regular officer there,” Lowery said. “So it’s an interesting thing that a lot of people are going to. It’s very low-cost to the cities and it still gives us some more manpower if we need it.”

He said if applicants pass the training course, they will be granted full police powers while on duty. They will be authorized to carry weapons and make arrests while on duty, but will have no police powers while off duty.

“Some of their duties would be a little bit limited on what they can and cannot do, but we’re still working that out,” Lowery said. “We had to approve tonight to do that and then get some of the kinks worked out.”

Common duties for auxiliary officers will include riding along on vehicle patrol with full-time officers, foot patrol at events with large crowds, and observing high-crime areas. Officer appointments can be withdrawn by the Sparta Police Chief at any time and are not subject to appeal from the officer in question.

“I think every police department across the state, and even the nation are having trouble with police officers right now,” Lowery said.