Menomonie Police Department could change officers hours to save - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Menomonie (WQOW) - A local police department could be shaking up schedules in order to cut costs.

The Menomonie Police Department is looking at extending officer's shifts from eight and half hours to 12 hours. Right now, officers work six days a week and then have three days off. This plan would change that to three days on, two days off. The police chief says it would save the department $20,000 by reducing overtime costs.

"We can have more officers working at one time, and if they do take time like vacation or get injured or sick time, we don't necessarily have to backfill as much with overtime. So really it's kind of a win-win for the Menomonie Police Department and the city, where we can still have the same great coverage that everybody that everybody knows and expects, but we can still save a little bit of money on the overtime end of things," says Chief Eric Atkinson.

The plan still needs to be approved by the city council. The changes would be in place for a one-year test period.