Louisville Metro Police are seeking recruits from Detroit, where hundreds of layoffs are pending.
Budget problems in Michigan's largest city prompted Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to warn that as many as 600 patrol officers may be laid off, possibly as early as this month. A 45-day moratorium on layoffs, meant to give city officials time to study their effect, ended this week.
Louisville's department, meanwhile, still has 72 vacancies for sworn officers. Thirty-four other vacancies resulted from a high number of retirements in July, said Lt. Col. Steve Conrad, an assistant chief in charge of administration.
Louisville police plan to hire 100 officers this fiscal year, including a class of 38 recruits now in training.
A team of recruiters from Louisville visited Detroit last month and handed out more than 100 applications. Louisville Metro Officer Bobby Evans said he's already received about 20 applications and expects more.
Jeremy Smith, a former Detroit officer, now works the overnight shift in Louisville's 2nd Division. The 27-year-old Smith came to Louisville.
"I am very glad I made the switch," Smith said.
Marty Bandemer, president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said he was uncertain when layoffs would occur but said it was a frustrating and stressful time for the members of the police officer's union.
Conrad said getting officers to Louisville with experience, especially from a city known for handling a lot of crime, would benefit the department because the officers will be able to get to work on the streets more quickly.
The Louisville department has had vacancies since the old city and county forces merged two years ago. Conrad said he expects to finish this fiscal year with about 39 vacancies, which could be filled by one recruit class in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The salaries for Detroit officers start at $29,000 a year. Louisville pays rookies $34,000.
"I think it'll be the right move for some of these officers to make," Smith said.
"This bad luck for Detroit may be really good luck for us," Conrad said. "The chances for us hiring a good class out of this seem real promising."