Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Florence confronts police staffing shortfall; council adds cameras, drones and bonuses to cope
Summary
Residents raised alarm about a shrinking police force; Police Chief Heiler said 14 sworn positions are open and outlined technology and recruitment measures, while city leaders said bonuses and camera purchases are underway.
Pam Osborne, a Florence resident, told the City Council that fewer officers on patrol "can lead to increased crime rates" and urged action to prevent slower response times and reduced community policing.
The concern drew a response from Chief Heiler of the Florence Police Department, who said the department currently has 14 open sworn positions out of a total authorized force of 95 and described steps the city is taking to maintain public safety while recruiting and retaining officers.
"Right now, we are 14 officers, positions that we can fill, out of 95," Chief Heiler said, and he added that four officers are in training and four are on family medical leave, reducing the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
