WINDCREST, Texas — Windcrest police officers protecting the streets are now working 12-hour shifts. Before, officers were working 10-hour shifts. Its commanding staff said the shift change is working, and credits two recent traffic stops where officers found more than $26,000 in cash, weapons, and even drugs.
Lieutenant David Ellis oversees all functions of patrol at the Windcrest Police Department and discussed the new change and its impact.
"I think these cases prove that with more consistent deployment of officers, again with not having staggered days off, it provides a better overall team concept," he said.
Lt. Ellis said the move came from the chief. The department said this shift is the right move for two reasons: officer safety, and more adequate police protection.
"Officers are literally together all the time," Ellis said. "They don't have stagger days off. They all have the same days off. "Officers on 10-hour shifts had different days off. And so the number of officers working per day fluctuated. Well, with 12-hour shifts, the shifts literally stay together."
So far, Ellis said the department is pleased with the progress. He said the change has been in full force for a little more than a month and small to mid-size departments are having better success with their activity, arrests and law enforcement working this type of shift.
"Our overall activity in terms of enforcement, traffic enforcement as well arrests have seem to have gone up," he said "As a result of that we have seen some significant and meaningful arrest that officers have been able to initiate because of officers going to 12-hour shifts."