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Virginia police outline recruitment, retention plan and propose community‑service officer positions
Summary
Virginia Deputy Chief Nicola told the Committee of the Whole the police department is down three officers and faces national recruitment and retention pressures; staff proposed new Community Service Officer (CSO) positions and other incentives and will bring a CSO plan back to council in weeks.
Deputy Chief Nicola briefed the Committee of the Whole on recruitment and retention problems at the Virginia Police Department, saying agencies nationwide are seeing fewer applicants and increased turnover.
Nicola said the department is about three officers short on staffing, has difficulty recruiting graduates from regional law enforcement programs and is competing with higher mine wages and county pay increases. He described a shift since about 2019 that includes fewer cadet graduates and greater unwillingness to interview for local agencies.
The police proposed creating Community Service Officer (CSO) positions, non‑sworn roles to handle parking, blight follow‑ups, evidence transport and routine event support. Nicola said CSOs could be seasonal at about $21 an hour (a rate he cited for neighboring cities) and would be considered as an offset to an existing funded full‑time position before a longer‑term budget request.
Nicola also reviewed retention ideas that staff want council to consider when negotiating labor contracts: sign‑on and retention bonuses, improved time‑off practices, stepped pay increases, restoration of longevity or retirement medical benefits, and non‑monetary incentives such as training and a new public safety facility. He said the new police building and training/fitness space will help recruiting.
Councilors asked detailed follow‑ups. Councilor Motley asked whether the three open positions are fillable; Nicola said they are fillable if applicants apply. Councilor Johnson asked which bargaining unit would cover CSOs; Nicola and staff said the classification would need further discussion with bargaining units. Councilor Paulson recommended exploring dual‑training grants and using DEED data; Nicola agreed to bring a proposed CSO job description and budget back in a couple of weeks.
No formal ordinance or labor action was taken; staff were directed to return with a CSO proposal and additional data on retention and comparative pay.
Ending: The committee left the matter open for further planning. Deputy Chief Nicola said he will return with a draft CSO position and budget information in the coming weeks for council consideration.
