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Skagway committee hears police chief on staffing shortfall, cites housing as key barrier
Summary
At a special Skagway Municipality meeting, the police chief and committee discussed an officer's pending retirement, recruitment timelines tied to a 17‑week academy and long field training, and how lack of housing is blocking efforts to fill shifts.
The Skagway Municipality committee heard on Monday that the local police department faces a staff shortfall worsened by an announced retirement and limited housing options for recruits.
The chair opened the special session to brief committee members and the public on staffing. The police chief said Officer Ken Cox has formally given his intent to retire and the department is awaiting a date from the PERS retirement committee; in the meantime Cox is using accumulated vacation time but remains available to respond if needed.
The nut graf: committee members framed the shortfall as a scheduling problem that directly affects public safety. The chair noted that keeping only three officers on the roster (the chief, Rick and James) amounts to "3 sevens" or 21 shifts, which the chair said "doesn't work real well" for vacations, sick leave and training.
The chief detailed recruitment and training timelines that limit immediate relief. He said two Community Service Officers (CSOs) have expressed interest but are not eligible until about April 1. A newly hired candidate would then attend a roughly 17‑week police academy in Sitka (mid‑July to mid‑November) and could require up to three months of field training, meaning a hire made today might not be fully deployable until approximately March of the next year. "If you hire somebody from somewhere else, you never know what you're gonna get," the chief said, describing the department's preference to vet local candidates first.
Committee members and the chief agreed that housing is the principal recruitment barrier. The department currently can offer one very small duplex‑style unit and a one‑bedroom loft that may soon be listed for sale; those options do not meet longer‑term recruitment needs. "The housing is still the linchpin," the chair said, adding that the committee must decide whether the city is prepared to own and manage property to house officers.
As an interim measure, the chief said the department is talking with a prospective candidate who might accept a 2‑week on/2‑week off schedule and plans to meet that person in Haines. The chair said ads for officers continue to run but noted that any hire will need a place to live. The committee discussed whether public safety grants or other funding could support housing but the chief said he had not yet researched grant options.
Next steps: the chief will pursue the prospective candidate and the committee will continue exploring housing solutions; the chair said a definitive retirement date for Officer Ken Cox should be available after the PERS committee acts. The meeting adjourned without further formal motions on staffing.
