15 new police officers to help fix manpower shortage in Gary

The 14 men and one woman raised their right hands and swore to protect and serve the citizens of Gary, an increasingly tough job, but a worthwhile one, many of them said.

It was an answer to a manpower shortage that has hammered the police department, and the pay issue is being addressed, said Chief Larry McKinley.

“When you have more officers on the street you can do more proactive work, and that can help reduce crime dramatically,” said McKinley, who was named the top cop in July. “And, officer safety is helped, as well, because when you have more officers on the street you have more backup.”

Police officers have complained about being understaffed for years. Finding the money to pay for new officers and to give raises to officers already on the department has been a struggle.

The department also has had to struggle with the shooting death of veteran Patrolman Jeffery Westerfield in July.

So far this year, Gary has recorded 30 homicides, including a double homicide Sunday morning, but that danger is part of the job and part of the calling, said Nicholas Novak, 29, of Merrillville.

“This job’s a calling for most of us, and I think most of us take on the risk gladly,” said the former mental health counselor and Army National Guard intelligence analyst. “It is what it is. All you can do is be as safe as you can on the streets. Life happens.”

While McKinley said his department’s leaders will meet with Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and the Fraternal Order of Police “to work out some proposals so we can move forward to help officers actually obtain raises,” several recruits said making the lowest pay of any officers in Lake County will not be an issue.

“I’d rather work a job I love doing than worry about the pay,” said Antoine Goffin, a husband and father to one child and grandson of Gary Police Lt. Billy Moore. “The pay will worry about itself. it’s enough to support my family for now.”

Throngs of family members filled the benches in the Gary Common Council Chambers for the swearing in, and two other recruits, like Goffin, could claim they were following in the footsteps of family members.

Recruits Demetri Blanco and Michael Jackson Jr. both grew up with Gary police officers as fathers.

Princess Cross, 29, studied voice and dance at Emerson Visual and Performing Arts, but, in her early teens, she chose law enforcement instead, the Gary native said.

“Ever since the age of 13, I wanted to be a police officer,” said the only woman recruit sworn in Wednesday. Part of her motivation, along with earning three college degrees in criminal justice, was a young cousin’s death years ago.

“I decided I wanted to be able to change the individuals in my community and i picked this career. My passion wasn’t in music and dance. Law is where my heart is,” she said. “Growing up, there was lot of crime in my community, and I wanted to be a first responder or someone who would tackle that situation in hopes of seeing justice.”