The formula that for decades has lined up applicants seeking to become Leelanau County deputies is out of whack.
Neither young nor experienced people are applying. For the first time in his 12-year career as county sheriff, Mike Borkovich is without candidates for 21 road patrol and 18 jail positions.
The Sheriff’s Office is more vulnerable than short-handed, Borkovich said. All current positions are filled. But retirements are looming and no one seems interested in filling those positions — at least at the present rates of pay.
And the department lost six officers in the past five years due to low compensation.
“Some of these guys have come to me with tears in their eyes, and say, ‘I love working here, but my family and I can’t afford to live here.’ These are deputies without an agenda. It’s kind of shocking,” Borkovich said.
For the first time, the department has printed up flyers and distributed them throughout the county looking for applicants. Undersheriff James Kiessel was listed as the contact person with a phone number of 256-8602.
George Preston, who three months ago retired after 29 years in law enforcement, has also watched the stream of applicants dry up. The Elmwood Township resident, a veteran with seven years in the military police, at various times worked in departments operated by the Grand Traverse Band, Traverse City, Grand Traverse County and state of Michigan.
“When I got into law enforcement in the 1980s, there would be 100 people on a waiting list. They could take the best of the best. Now departments are giving (cash) incentives as well as paying for college if someone makes a two-year commitment. It’s just a difficult time,” Preston said.
Why the disinterest? “The first thing is pay and pension,” Preston said. “The pension is huge, and for the last 10 years (some departments) have chipped away at them. Then there was a decrease in people signing up in the police academies.”
The pension plan has not changed in Leelanau County, but pay has been an issue. According to a scale provided by Borkovich listing the highest hourly wage for entry level positions, the county Sheriff’s office and Grand Traverse Band occupy the bottom at $30.39. However, the GTB offers a $3,000 signing bonus and lump sum payments of $1,500 after three and five years of service, respectively.
The FBI tops the list at $62.09 per hour, followed by the Michigan State Police at $40.27, National Park Service at $39.97, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at $35.75. Amounts do not include overtime.
Certainly housing costs play into the affordability discussion.
“Housing is huge. A young person who is just out of police academy cannot afford a $300,000 home or rent at $1,500 per month for a two bedroom, one bath apartment. Even if the spouse is working, they just can’t afford it. In this area up here, it’s hard to get people,” Preston said.
Retired county Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf, who served two terms prior to the election of Borkovich, faced similar problems in recruitment.
“In a discussion with commissioners, I remember one of the replies was, ‘You have to give up some pay to live in the county.’ Well, no you don’t. You don’t have to live in the county,” Oltersdorf said.
He recalled trying to fill the jail administrator position after the county Law Enforcement Center was built.
“One individual asked me what it paid, and I don’t remember the exact number I told him, but I think it was $50,000. Then he said, ‘OK, that’s for the first six months. What does the other six months pay?’” But he doesn’t recall being out of applicants.
“We always had applications. Fortunately, we were able to attract good people,” Oltersdorf said.
Murkier factors than pay may be having an impact, all three law enforcement officials said.
“Over the last few years,” Preston continued, “law enforcement got a bad name. A stigma got associated with law enforcement. You are all angels, and then something happens and you’re the devil.”
He stayed in the business to fight for justice.
“I wanted to provide a service that helped people overcome being a victim of evil, to get some form of justice. My success rate was very, very high. A lot of people don’t know what type of commitment is needed to get a conviction to put someone away,” Preston said.
Said Oltersdorf, “When I started, it was a calling. Too often in today’s world, it’s a job.”
Borkovich is concerned because even police officers who join up for the right reason are being forced to leave to support themselves and their families. Of the deputies who have left the Sheriff’s office, three accepted positions as Michigan State troopers, one became an Alaskan state trooper, and two others are working for Consumers Power.
“They are basically being paid $10 more an hour at other places, and our people are going there … Very few young people are going into law enforcement. We never use to advertise our positions, and we always had a waiting list. We’re down to zero applications right now,” he said.
