Oak Island police urge hires, equipment and programs amid recruitment squeeze

Chief Charlie Morris outlined three priorities that shaped his budget request: service, safety and accountability. He told the council the department averages about three minutes for emergency response and maintains a crime‑clearance rate staff estimate at around 60%.

"When you dial 911 within 3 minutes, a police car is sitting in front of your house," Morris said, emphasizing response-time performance as a key measure of service.

Morris described acute hiring challenges: while Oak Island has been competitive in recent years, neighboring agencies’ rising starting pay and aggressive recruiting at the Basic Law Enforcement training (BLET) pool have thinned applicant pools. The chief said a previously used cadet program produced hires but was often exploited by recruits who left before contractual commitments expired; towns across the county have reduced or stopped scholarship-backed cadet programs.

To address staffing and operational needs, Morris asked council to consider multi‑year, incremental market adjustments rather than a single large bump. He also proposed program and equipment investments intended to improve effectiveness and recruitment appeal:

- K‑9 program: start with two narcotics/tracking dogs (two handlers) with initial training/animal acquisition costs and vehicle up‑fits; staff estimated initial dog/training cost around $12,000 per dog, handler training roughly $4,500, and annual food/veterinary costs of about $1,500 per dog. Morris said asset‑forfeiture funds could offset part of this expense over time.

- Drone support: the department would add certified police operators to support an existing fire‑department drone program for daytime searches and scene assessment.

- In‑house shooting/training range: Morris sought council consensus to begin design work for a private departmental range at airport property to cut travel for training and re‑certification.

Morris also reported progress on accreditation and evidence handling, noting an investment in an off‑site evidence cage to meet standards. The chief tied many investments—including K‑9, drones and a training range—to recruitment and retention, arguing those resources make the department a more attractive workplace.

Council members asked for a two‑year compensation trajectory to consider spreading market adjustments across budgets. No formal appropriation was made; staff said they would return with detailed estimates, procurement options and possible offset strategies (grants, asset forfeiture, or phased implementation).

The council discussion focused on balancing near‑term public‑safety needs against long‑term sustainability of recurring personnel costs.