MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stopping a police shortage. It’s the reason why Director Michael Rallings encouraged the City Council to continue to freeze the DROP program, or deferred retirement option plan.

On Tuesday, it got heated in City Hall as he delivered the proposal.

The DROP program has been frozen for several years. It allows an officer to announce retirement three years out, stay on the force and collect retirement.

He said resuming the program will cause him to lose his front line at a time when he’s trying to build his department.

“We are short supervisors today but we can’t promote because we don’t have enough people at the bottom to fill all those ranks,” he said.

“My phone has been ringing off the hook waiting on today’s outcome,” said Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams. “We have a lot of management actively seeking jobs and other places.”

The union was not happy about Director Ralling’s proposal.

The fire department is also asking for the same thing.