FOLEY, Ala. — Foley Police Department is looking to hire a minimum of three officers to fill current vacancies in the department, but Police Chief David Wilson said more hires could be forthcoming if and when funding becomes available.

The current hiring process for both certified and non-certified applicants will end by the close of business day on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, according to a press release issued on Monday. Applications may be picked up at Foley City Hall.

“Though there are lots of people putting in applications with us, don’t become discouraged that we are only hiring three police officers,” Wilson said in the release.

“If we are successful with some good grant writing efforts, hopefully we will be able to fill all five remaining vacant police positions through federal funding. Our main push with the grant is to gain additional funding that will allow us to hire our vacancies and continue what we are doing with a full house.”

Should funding become available in the near future, Wilson said FPD will look at the list of potential candidates that is established by the current application process to fill the remaining vacant positions.

FPD has an “authorized police strength” of 63 sworn officers and a total of 94 employees. Starting salary, the highest in the area, is $19.36 for certified officers and $18.36 for uncertified. FPD also has the highest number of female police officers in the county and is looking to hire more, according to the release.

Patrol officers work what the release called a “very popular 12 hour shift schedule” that allows every other weekend off. Also, all sworn officers regardless of rank must complete annual in-service training.

“About three years ago, we began hiring a lot of outstanding police officers from all over the United States, officers who were very anxious to come here,” Wilson said.

“With those police officers being added to the good police officers we already had, we have been able to build a great police team. These men and women are such a blessing to work with.”

According to Wilson, FPD lowered last year’s crime back to 2004 levels, but admits 2009 will be a challenging year in part because of the loss of jobs and frozen budgets. He, nevertheless, believes the efforts of officers and departmental strategies will “pay off” and continue to make Foley a safe place to live and work.