Flint Township View

Flint Township approves additional sergeant position for police department




FLINT TWP. — The Flint Township Police Department will be adding a new sergeant position to its force, following approval from the Flint Township Board of Trustees.

At the Aug. 17 meeting, the township board approved a request from Flint Township Police Chief Kevin Salter to promote a patrol officer from his department to the rank of sergeant. This will allow Flint Township Supervisor Karyn Miller to formally request the Flint Township Civil Service Commission to provide the name of one eligible candidate for promotion to police sergeant.

Interviews have been conducted with eligible candidates for the position, and funding for a new sergeant position is available in the 2020 police budget.

Salter said that an additional sergeant position is necessary to enhance the performance evaluation of the department’s squads. He also said that the police force needs more supervisors to provide positive leadership for newer officers.

“With our young force, 65 percent of the patrol officers have less than five years of experience,” he said. “Supervisors are a very important aspect for the younger officers.”

Salter said that with the force’s current supervisory officer staffing level, it has become difficult to allow sergeants to attend staff and command training sessions, which are typically 10 to 11 weeks. He also said that it’s not feasible for his department to replace an absent supervising officer by utilizing overtime.

By adding another sergeant position, Salter said that current supervisors will have time to attend training sessions and gain experience to step up in different levels.

Currently, the Flint Township Police Department has six sergeants, two lieutenants and 37 officers. In 2005, the department had three lieutenants, eight sergeants with 38 sworn members.

Salter said that his department is now authorized to have at least 43 sworn members.