WEIRTON — The city is making adjustments to the working schedules of its police officers, with an eye toward making the department more efficient.

During its recent meeting, Weirton Council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending Article 131.04 of the city code, which establishes the shift schedule of the city’s law enforcement officers.

Currently, within an 80-hour pay period for the department, officers “are assigned to work eight-hour shifts with a 21-day rotation through all three shifts.”

Under the proposal, the department would have the opportunity to transition to a 12-hour day, 84-hour pay period.

Police Chief Charlie Kush noted much of the department is in favor of the move, which he hopes to see take place in early January.

“I’ve been in discussions with them,” he said during the city Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 7. “It doesn’t seem there will be a problem.”

City Manager Mike Adams said the wording of the ordinance allows the department to shift to the 12-hour shifts, but revert to the eight hours if desired.

“It gives them the option,” Adams said. “It’s neither eliminating the eight nor implementing the 12.”

The amended part of the code would read “The members of the police department of the city shall not be required to attend to their duties for more than eight hours per day and for more than five days per week, or 12 hours per day under an 84-hour two-week pay period; except when any member may be required to attend to duties for hours over said pay period by order of a superior officer, in the event of an emergency or otherwise, as may be prescribed by the police chief.”

A permanent change would have to include negotiations as part of the labor agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 84, with Kush saying he is hoping to get an amendment to the current contract in the next couple of months.

“This is just the beginning steps,” Adams said.

According to Kush, the 12-hour shift is being used at numerous departments in West Virginia, and other states, and is seen as a move to assist with officer retention as it allows for more days off while working longer shifts.

Officials have claimed the department has, in recent years, come well below its budgeted overtime expenses, and don’t foresee any need to budget additional funding, with increased overtime costs still being covered by current levels.

The ordinance still must be approved through a second reading to become effective.