Resignation Leaves Police Nine Short

Resignation Leaves Police Nine Short
Chief Doesn't Believe Overtime Proposal Will Solve Salary Problem
Another police officer resigned this morning, making the Police Department short nine men-almost one whole shift. -
Police Chief Casper Enkemann already dias begun paring operations. Motorcycle patrols have been ended and the motorcycle officers transferred to all gaps in scout cars and beat patrol
The latest man to resiga. is Michael J. Katopol, a member of the department since July 1946. Katopol, like four of the other five patrolmen to resign since Aug. 1, cited financial reasons. "Now Very Serious'
"This thing is now very serious," Chief Enkemann said today.
He frankly declared that he thought the present plan underway in the City Council for paying police and firemen for overtime work would not solve the problem of the resignations.
"What is definitely needed is some type of salary increase," the chief said.
The chief said that the overtime pay plan, which would involve paying police and firemen $1.50 an hour for overtime, "is not enough." It would amount to about $50 a year more for the average patrolman, he said.
"And whether or not an officer put in that overtime would, of course, be a matter of luck," he pointed out. "An officer could be very conscientious and hard-working all year long and yet not stumble onto the cases that brought him overtime pay." Firemen Dissatisfied Firemen have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the overtime pay plan that was tentatively announced. Fire Chief Ben Zahn said today that it would amount "to almost nothing" for the men of his department,
Katopol's letter of resignation was typical of the ones that Chief Enkemann has been receiving in a steady stream in recent weeks.
"I find it impossible to meet the high cost of living in Ann Arbor with my present salary or any little raise the Council has to offer," he wrote.
He thanked Chief Enkemann and the Police Commission for "the interest you have shown in trying to get a salary increase" for police officers. Vacancies Unfilleă
Chief Enkemann has had little success in filling the vacancies on the force. The starting rate for patrolman is $470 a year more in Ypsilanti and $800 more in Detroit than it is in Ann Arbor, he pointed out.
"There is no reason for that crime is the same anywhere and so is a policeman's job," the chief said. "Certainly there is more crime in Detroit than in Ann Arbor but they have many more men to cope with it.”
Ann Arbor patrolmen get $2,929 as a starting rate, with $3,198 after the first year. They can not get more than the $3,198 patrolman's salary, until they are promoted.
First year firemen get $2,829 and after that, $3,075.