Five years ago, the Mobile Police Department faced significant staffing shortages, low morale, and a national reevaluation of policing.
Mobile was hit hard. The department lost more than 120 officers, and hiring efforts stalled.
“We’ve seen a trend nationally where a lot of places were in crisis mode with retention and qualified personnel,” said Mobile Police Deputy Chief Matt Garrett. “That has sort of shifted and come back around.”
That shift was on display Thursday at Cottage Hill Baptist Church, where 19 new officers were sworn into the Mobile Police Department during a graduation ceremony. The class included 30 total graduates, with 11 heading to other law enforcement agencies in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
The department’s goal is to raise its force above 500 officers for the first time in years. With another academy class of 28 recruits already in progress, department leaders are optimistic.
“I would say that 10 years ago, around 2015 is when we started to see these dips and had problems with retention,” Garrett said. “For the better part of a decade, and within the past year, we’ve really seen a resurgence. For us to get over 500 is something I’m excited about and very proud.”
Mayor Sandy Stimpson acknowledged the progress in his Thursday night newsletter.
“The department is as close to full staffing as it has been in years, and that’s a testament to what our public safety leaders and the Mobile City Council have done to provide our officers with the training, equipment, and compensation they deserve,” Stimpson said.
Struggles, Solutions
Across the country, law enforcement recruitment has begun to rebound. Still, staffing remains a concern in many cities.
In Montgomery, the issue resurfaced after a mass shooting downtown on a Saturday night that killed two people and injured at least a dozen others. The incident prompted Gov. Kay Ivey to pledge more state law enforcement support for the city.
Earlier in 2024, the Fraternal Order of Police in Montgomery reported low morale and said the department had dropped to 290 officers, far below its budgeted strength of 490. In response, the City Council approved a 15 percent pay raise for officers, overriding a veto from Mayor Steven Reed. It is unclear whether the increase has significantly improved recruiting.
The struggles of recruiting police have been a topic of concern, as well, for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. He focused on the issue during a visit to Mobile early last year at a time that Mobile was down 60 police officers from its 488 budgeted number.
In Mobile, compensation has played a key role in the department’s steady turnaround. Entry-level officers now earn $52,000 per year with no prior post-secondary education. Salaries increase with associate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees.
“If you compare us with agencies within Mobile and Baldwin counties, I think you’ll find us above or right at the highest,” Garrett said.
Other changes have helped modernize the department and appeal to a younger generation of recruits.
Mobile recently dropped its long-standing ban on facial hair for male officers.
“It’s a popular thing with the generation entering the workforce to have beards,” Garrett said. “We didn’t allow beards. Many agencies are starting to allow them, so we finally gave in as well. It’s widely popular with our officers. We had to change with the times.”
The department also revised its vehicle take-home policy. Previously, officers had to live within a 25-mile radius of their precinct to keep a patrol car at home. Now, officers living in Baldwin County can take their vehicles home, making employment more accessible for those outside Mobile County.
Intensive training
Tony McCarron, director of recruiting for the department, said a mix of targeted outreach and support throughout the academy process has helped strengthen the pipeline.
“We are getting here more and more young people who want to make a difference in the community,” McCarron said. “They are tired of sitting behind a desk. It’s up to me to get them from Point A to Point B. My standard phrase that I like to preach all the time is that I sell opportunity. Whatever you want to make of that opportunity is up to you.”
McCarron said new hires go through a 90-day pre-hire period before the academy’s 14-week training begins. The initial phase includes physical conditioning and mental preparation. One graduate lost 40 pounds before even starting the academy.
“And he was a huge success in the academy,” McCarron said. “We like to joke with them that it’s the preseason leading up to the regular season. They are getting their butts handed to them.”
McCarron, a 36-year veteran of the department, said he intends to keep the current system in place. He anticipates support from Mayor-elect Spiro Cheriogotis, who made public safety a centerpiece of his campaign.
“We haven’t sat down and talked about policies going forward, but this has been a success,” McCarron said. “Don’t fix it if it’s not broken.”
During the graduation ceremony, McCarron described his pride in watching new officers take the oath.
“I get to watch 20 to 30 kids who come to me, who had no structure, and they were searching,” he said. “It matters to me.”