BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An October 3 memorandum from Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry to Gainesville Police Chief Lonnie Scott, Sr., highlights a number of concerns with low staffing numbers and the morale in the department.

Read the memo here.

GPD is down to 74 patrol officers

As of September 18, 2023, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) had 74 officers assigned to patrol shifts, down from 115 in September 2017. Seven new officers were sworn in after that date, but GPD told us they were already included in the 74 patrol officers. The department currently has 54 vacancies out of 279 authorized sworn officer positions: 46 officers, 6 corporals, one sergeant, and one captain (“acting” officers are currently serving in the sergeant and captain positions). 

Alachua Chronicle has received anecdotal reports that as few as 8-10 patrol officers are available at any given time to respond to calls across the city, but the department would not provide actual numbers “due to officer safety reasons.”

Positives include new Assistant Chief

Curry’s memo was a result of “listening sessions” she has conducted with GPD staff. She began with positive feedback, which consisted of the outside hire of Assistant Chief Nelson Moya, appreciation of the “amazing” level of training provided to officers, and pride in being employed by GPD.

Employees say they feel “demotivated”

Concerns included attrition rates: employees told Curry that officers are taking jobs at other law enforcement agencies and that they “feel as if the department is crumbling around them.” The reduction in the number of officers on the street led to a concern for the safety of both officers and the public. Employees told Curry they felt “demotivated.”

Employees also expressed fears that hiring standards are lower, which could also have a negative impact on safety. One bullet point in the memo stated that there are concerns about the “readiness of incoming candidates from the academy.”

Employees said the department has “swung too far to community policing” and that “officers just ride around.” Low morale was also cited as a concern.

Concerns about transparency, intimidation, and leadership accountability

Curry noted that employees have concerns about transparency within the department, including the Internal Affairs process. Employees told her they are concerned with “intimidation within the ranks, especially sworn vs. civilians.”

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GPD leadership was called out for poor communication and for dodging accountability by attributing directives to the City Manager or the City Commission; employees said they felt “lost.” Employees also cited a perceived lack of support from the City Commission.

Employees said leadership in the department is lacking and that competent people are overlooked due to personal grudges. One bullet point stated, “Decision making in department is emotional.” 

Concerns about nepotism

Nepotism concerns included comments about favoritism due to family relationships, frustration around captains who have never been a shift commander, and a bullet point that stated, “Department speaks of family – they don’t know the ‘family.’”

Employees felt unappreciated and unrecognized for their service; one example described a 25-year service recognition pin that was mailed to the employee’s home instead of being presented in person. The certificate and envelope were crumpled, and the pin was for 20 years, not 25.

Mixed messages regarding the K-9 Unit

In Operations, concerns included employees who are selected for units but never transferred, the sidelining of the Leadership Academy, mixed messages regarding the K-9 Unit, and complaints about a specific employee “who is tagged as a confusion starter and stirs up issues.”

Employees told Curry that the open container ordinance should be repealed (it was repealed on first reading on September 14, with a second reading scheduled for October 26) and said that GPD “has become soft on juveniles, impeding department ability to impact youth.”

Workload and pay

In a section about workload, the memo says, “Information communicated that Reichert House employees that were brought over caused the reduction of officer positions.”

Employees had a number of concerns about pay, providing specific examples of pay rates for the same jobs at other agencies and a concern that trainees sometimes make more than trainers. Employees also expressed a desire to be part of the State retirement system instead of the City’s retirement plan. 

At the end of the memo, Curry directed Chief Scott to develop plans to address the concerns by October 13. 

Chief Scott: All department personnel are now required to assist with patrol services

In response to our question about patrol staffing concerns, Chief Scott responded, “Like most of the law enforcement agencies in the country, GPD is suffering from a shortage of community members willing to assume the responsibilities of a police officer. Today, the position of law enforcement officer carries a tremendous burden and requires continuous sacrifice. GPD is endeavoring to recruit and retain quality service-oriented people into the Public Safety profession that will assist the Department in maintaining the public’s trust. The Gainesville Police Department has implemented a patrol deployment program that requires all department personnel to assist with providing patrol services regardless of assignment and/or rank. Chief Scott will be working with the shift tomorrow night (Oct. 6).”