Some Selma Police Department officers have started coming back to work after a weeklong sick out over salaries and other issues in the department.

According to Police Chief John Brock, two out of the five officers scheduled for Wednesday’s morning shift reported to work. He said officers have slowly returned every day since Monday.

In total, about 10 of the more than 20 officers who started calling in sick last Thursday have come back, according to the chief.

“About half have come back,” Brock said. “We’re not back to normal, but we are in a better position — manpower wise.”

Brock said a new shift will report to work Thursday, and he doesn’t know how many of those officers will come in.

“It will be a different group Thursday. We’ll see in the morning what this group will do,” Brock said.

A special city council meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday to address officer pay and other business.

Selma Mayor George Evans met with the police department and fire department Monday and promised raises will be coming in next year’s budget for all city employees.

He hopes to fund the salary increases from savings after refinancing bonded debt at a lower interest rate. Some officers told WSFA they wanted definite dollar amounts in writing and not another “empty promise.”

City employees have not had a permanent pay raises since 2007, but they have earned annual bonuses around the holidays of up to $1,600 for full-time workers with three years or more service.

Last Tuesday officers delivered a letter to Evans and city council members demanding immediate raises and a meeting. Officers started calling in sick Thursday morning and met with the mayor and some city council members Thursday afternoon.

Before Thursday’s meeting, officer Michael Kiser read a prepared statement about the officers’ actions.

“We the members of the Selma Police Department would like to say we love and care about the citizens of Selma. Our first priority is the safety of this community. Any statements or assertions this is only about the money and this is only about an election are absolutely false,” Kiser said.

Kiser said officers are concerned about the safety of the community, fair pay, a safe working environment, needed equipment upgrades, fair promotions and hiring, professionalism and the chain of command, among other issues.

No resolution came from that meeting, and officers have continued to call in sick every day. Officers are allowed five consecutive sick days before a doctor’s note is required.

Because the way schedules are made, that could take up to 10 days to cycle through. Ten days from the first day of the sick out will be Saturday, June 20.

As officers report back to work, they are being assigned to their normal patrols and some supervisors and detectives, which have been out answering calls and manning the streets, have returned to their every day jobs.

There will be some catching up on cases and paperwork in the days ahead, Brock said.

“It’s just according to who comes in. We cover the (patrol) shift first,” Brock said. “There has been stuff put on the back burner.”

Brock said the department hired two new officers Thursday, who will begin the screening process ahead of going to police academy.