The police department is currently authorized 50 sworn police officers. The department is anticipating multiple vacancies starting in January, 2022. Over the next several years the police department anticipates several more retirements, which will put the department in an almost constant state of hiring. The current climate for hiring police officers is at best, extremely difficult and competitive right now. Most departments hiring right now are seeing record low numbers of applicants and offer hiring bonuses to lateral hires.

We have consistently maintained that the most important factor in our success has been the successful hiring, background, and training process we currently have in place. In the coming years, this process will be more difficult than ever.  We know through history that the processes we run over the summer have yielded the best results. This allows us to be one of the first departments to get a look at the summer skills program students. Because we anticipate future vacancies from retirements in early 2022, we would like to start a hiring process this summer in hopes of having the best opportunity to get the best candidates available.

If authorized, under the best timeline scenario, a new hire would not complete the field-training program and be on their own until mid January, after we have retirements. Our intention is to conduct a process, find suitable replacements, and have them trained in and on their own by the time our retirements take affect.

A staffing analysis based on workload was conducted last month using the same formula the Police Services Master Planning Task Force Endorsed. That analysis showed the department short multiple officers. As part of the 2022 budget process, I will be asking council for additional hires in 2022. The fact that we are a growing city at a time when we will see numerous retirements take place further highlights the importance of getting qualified people in here when we have the opportunity. We believe that starting now gives us the best chance at keeping up with our current authorized staffing level of 50 sworn.

To be clear, the department is only asking to address impending retirements with this process and hire candidate(s) that will replace current staff when they leave. The average time from starting a process to seeing an officer out on their own runs between 9-11 months. We feel it is imperative to begin now and address the staffing issues we face while also recognizing we will continue to grow as a city.