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Police chief warns of multiple vacancies; council agrees to advertise position and consider incentives
Summary
The police chief said several officers are leaving, deployed or on long-term light duty, which could leave the department short several positions; council directed staff to advertise an open officer role and said it would consider recruitment incentives for a later vote.
The police chief reported that, by early April, the department could face multiple vacancies due to a resignation, an officer deployed on military duty and retirements. He said the department currently employs 18 officers on paper but has only 13 fully active officers, and described the staffing strain.
"We staff right now on paper. It looks like we are full staff, but we are not," the chief said, noting the deployment and multiple officers on light duty. He asked permission to advertise an open position and to keep staffing at 18 until additional retirements occur.
Council members discussed past recruitment incentives and the time it takes for a new hire to be road-ready. The chief noted some cities have offered signing bonuses of various sizes in recent years and said the council would need to approve any incentive. Council members encouraged quick action; the chief will advertise the position and return with a recommendation for incentives and formal approval at a subsequent meeting.
