Lawrence certifies police hiring eligibility list as department nears full staffing

The City of Lawrence certified the Lawrence Police Department’s 2024 Session 2 hiring eligibility list, moving the department closer to what officials described as full staffing.

Lieutenant Scott Evans told the panel, “I think we're doing pretty good. I think we're we're hiring more people, actually, than probably every other department in the state where we hired 14 last year.” He said the department was currently at 60 sworn officers and expected to be “at 68” — which he described as the department’s full staffing level — in 2025 after recent hires and mayoral authorization for three additional positions.

The certification was put before the body after the lieutenant’s presentation; a member moved approval and another seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Why it matters: Certification of the eligibility list allows the police department to proceed with conditional offers and background and medical clearances for candidates, a necessary step for filling vacancies. Department officials said some candidates still must clear public safety medical screening before final appointment, so the number of hires could change.

Department context and next steps: Evans warned the list contains candidates who still must pass public-safety medical checks, and “we may lose some there.” The body offered limited questions and then approved the certification without recorded dissent. No ordinance number, hiring rule, or vote tally was specified in the meeting transcript.

The certification clears a procedural step that the department expects will result in enough hires to reach the 68-officer target in 2025.