Peoria Standard

Peoria Fire and Police departments said budgetary problems are causing staff members to feel demoralized and have even led some workers to resign.

The discouragement came to light during a report to the City Council about the departments' minority hiring efforts, Firehouse.com reported in February.

Assistant Fire Chief James Bachman told the council that new hires worry about job security and feel unappreciated, Firehouse.com reported. On a 10-scale with one being the best and 10 the worst, Bachman said that staff morale was eight.

Bachman said that the department hasn't had any staffing additions since 2018 and that it had three black hires in its 2016 and 2017 classes, Firehouse.com reported. Those three employees have since resigned to seek employment elsewhere.

In the 2018 class, seven of 19 firefighters were from a protected class, including black, Hispanic or female, Firehouse.com reported.

Interim Police Chief Doug Theobald reported that the Police Department has had a few minorities apply for positions through the Human Resources Department, Firehouse.com reported. Still, many applicants fail to appear to take the first written test without any explanation.

Bachman and Theobald said that the number of applicants has decreased from 20 years ago when the departments had a steady stream of applicants to hire from.

Both departments depend on cadet programs to train new hires are prepare them for employment, but the Fire Department's cadet program was cut in 2018 for budgetary reasons, Firehouse.com reported. The police department still has the program, but there have been many issues.

"The PPD had 129 minorities apply to be an officer in 2020, comprising 39% of all applicants. Of those 129, 75% did not submit required documents or did not show to take the written exam," according to a memo, Firehouse.com reported. "Of the 25% who submitted the required documents and took the written test, 72% passed the written exam, physical fitness test, and were placed into the hiring pool."