By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Members of the Decatur Police Department will have estate planning funds made available to them, as well as an exercise area in the Seventh St. police station.
Both were proposed by Chief Kevin Gerber and approved by the city’s board of works and safety.
The estate planning benefit, agreed to by the board at its latest meeting, will provide up to $500 for each officer to be used toward an estate planning policy.
Funds to cover the new benefit will come from the Betty Walters estate, which provides monies to both the police and fire departments.
Not only will the estate benefit aid local officers, but it “will be something else to try to attract new (applicants),” Gerber said.
The purchase of exercise equipment also uses Walters Estate funds. At its latest meeting, the board gave its okay to a waiver to be signed by those who wish to use the equipment.
The waiver, put together by City Attorney Anne Razo, “eliminates any liability for the city,” Gerber said. “It’s like any gym you would go to.”
Gerber also received permission to take applicants for new officers each year, rather than waiting until there is a vacancy on the department.
“I’ve always thought we should do this,” Gerber told the board. Such a setup could also provide some officers for the reserve force.
“I came from the reserves; I think it’s a benefit for the city,” Gerber added.
One other piece of business for the chief was asking for and receiving approval to switch to AT&T’s Firstnet First Responder Network.
“I’ve had a hard time dealing with Verizon,” Gerber told the board.
He noted that the county switched to Firstnet a year or so ago “and they are very happy with it.”