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Paynesville’s Police Sabbaticals
After 24 years of serving as a police officer, Paynesville Police Chief Paul Wegner is willing to admit that officers don’t always prioritize taking care of themselves when given the hefty task of preserving the safety of their communities.
That’s why Wegner has implemented one-month sabbaticals for his officers, a policy that went into effect in January 2022. From his own experience, Wegner knows that taking 1-2 weeks off rarely leaves an officer feeling adequately rejuvenated once they return to work. Therefore, the department and the City agreed on one-month sabbaticals, which must be taken in a four-week block instead of being spaced out. Wegner also noted that the City of Paynesville will be paying the officers’ wages during the sabbatical period and officers’ paid time off will not be used.
Paynesville officers must take their one-month sabbatical between their fifth and sixth years of service, and Wegner only has two rules for that month off.
“Don’t come into the office – only because that’s counterproductive to getting away,” Wegner said, “and two, don’t get arrested. That’s counterproductive to the career.”
Paynesville’s police department hopes this initiative will emphasize how invested it is in its officers’ well-being, but Wegner wants his officers to be the driving factor behind their own wellness.
“If I tell you I’m giving you a month off, now go and volunteer in the community … if you choose to do that, great,” Wegner said. “But you’re not accomplishing anything if I’m mandating you doing that on your time off.” How and when officers choose to spend this time will be up to them.
Wegner plans to take a month off at the start of 2023 to gauge whether the sabbaticals have the potential to be successful, but none of the department’s officers will be eligible to take their sabbaticals until 2024.
The initiative’s impact on the department’s recruitment will be difficult to determine in its early stages, but Wegner has made one thing clear: the sabbaticals alone are not about the Paynesville Police Department. They are one component of an overall comprehensive plan to support his officers’ well-being and longevity in the profession.