By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com

Bowie Police are shuffling once more as one officer leaves, a patrol officer shifts to school resource officer and newer officers to the department continue learning the ropes.
Police Chief Guy Green reported Paul Magers, SRO at the elementary, was leaving to take a similar job at Bridgeport Police Department. Green said he hated to lose the officer, but it is hard to compete with positions that pay $20,000 more a year. Magers has been with the department since 2018 and SRO since fall 2019.
Patrol Officer Jerry Dilday has been appointed to the SRO vacancy and is attending his first training for the new post. He has been with the department since April 2019.
BPD is now on the search once more for a patrol officer and Green said it continues to be difficult to get qualified applicants. As July came to a close the chief was happy to report he is talking with an experienced officer he hopes will come on board.
The department is budgeted for nine patrol officers, four SROs, two detectives, the assistant chief and the chief. If they fill the patrol position, the department will be fully staffed for the moment, but the pending retirement of Sgt. Kurt Berryman in October will change things once more. Bowie Independent School Districts pays the majority of the salaries for the SROs, while the city provides the vehicle and equipment. When school is out, the officers work patrol.
The last three positions in the department have been filled by what could be called “grow-your-own officers,” as the department paid for the officers to attend police academy in return for a three-year commitment to work at Bowie PD.

Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.