Changes are underway at the Brownsville Police Department.
The search is on for a new police chief, and now officers are working on a new schedule.
Interim Police Chief Orlando Rodriguez said the days of Monday through Friday followed by a two-day weekend, are a thing of the past.
Rodriguez said his officers are now working on the 4-10 plan – meaning they will work four days, 10-hour shifts and have three days off.
"The officers who are directly affected by this plan, which are those in the uniformed services division, they spoke to management, management listened and together we came up with a plan,” Rodriguez said. “It's been worked on, adjusted, and modified to the point where it was implemented successfully."
Rodriguez said uniformed officers support the change because they expect the 4-10 plan will make for a more productive work day with fewer inconveniences.
It's also expected to help reduce the overtime pay.
"A lot of times (during) a standard 8-hour shift, you had to stay late because of pending calls, so officers were having to stay later and into the afterhours of the shift,” Rodriguez said. “So you also have to look at it from a budgetary standpoint."
The change in scheduling will overlap shifts which will Rodriguez said will put more officers on the streets when they are most needed, such as the 5 o'clock rush hour and late at night.
"With the way Brownsville is growing, the challenge is there to meet the need of the community with the personnel that we have, that we're authorized to carry on staff,” Rodriguez said. “That's another plus for this plan because we're able to put more officers on the street during peak hours."
Police business offices and other divisions within the department will not be affected by the new scheduling and will remain operating Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rodriguez said the department will try the new scheduling plan for six months and make changes if necessary.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT