Hiring a priority in 2017 as Bibb County Sheriff’s Office currently down 157 deputies

Sheriff David Davis’ top task in 2017 will be hiring dozens of deputies for the department.

As of Tuesday, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office has 157 deputy vacancies and eight civilian openings.

Considering the time it takes to hire qualified applicants and train recruits, Davis is optimistic he can add between 50-75 law enforcement officers this year.

“Some ranked positions may go away,” Davis said. “We don’t need as many majors as we had with consolidation.”

As deputies rise to fill the ranks, the sheriff is learning ways to more efficiently manage the staff.

The merger of the Macon Police Department with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office initially led to a top-heavy balance of veterans.

Early retirement incentives lured away 55 of those high-ranking and long-tenured officers.

Several deputies resigned before consolidation and dozens others left through regular attrition and some firings, Davis said.

“My main goal is getting deputies,” he said. “We need the line officers.”

In recent months, staffing shifts has been like balancing a checkbook for Davis as he makes sure there is enough manpower to cover the streets.

“Our crime rate has been trending down. Those here are doing a fantastic job, but they are working a lot of overtime,” Davis said.

Experienced officers who are certified through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, or POST, will be able to go straight on patrol without serving a year in the jail.

Those embarking on a new career in law enforcement must allow 11 weeks for mandate training and will spend a year working in the jail before hitting the road, he said.

The process to hire a person off the street could take up to 18 months before someone is ready to go to work.

Davis does not see an immediate need to create any new positions, but he realizes filling the vacancies will be a big enough challenge as departments struggle to keep officers.

“Realistically, it will be difficult to fill our roster,” Davis said.

Industry-wide, agencies are struggling to hire recruits and officers in the wake of a deadly year for law enforcement.

Davis said those challenges also help weed out those only looking for a paycheck, who might not be as committed to the demands of the career.

“The people who want to make a difference in this community and in people’s lives, we’re still getting those applications,” he said.

Anyone interesting in applying for a position with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is encouraged to contact the human resources department of the Macon-Bibb County government at 478-751-to begin the civil service hiring process.

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Hiring a priority in 2017 as Bibb County Sheriff’s Office currently down 157 deputies."