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Public safety director warns Petoskey City Council of staffing pinch as calls rise
Summary
Public Safety Director Rocky Car told Petoskey City Council the department handled 9,157 calls in 2025 and is operating near minimum staffing, urging budgeted hires to avoid overtime and burnout. Councilmembers pressed about recruitment, housing and retention; Car urged adding two officers by 2027.
Public Safety Director Rocky Car told Petoskey City Council in a presentation on March 2 that the city's public safety department handled 9,157 calls for service in 2025 and is operating “at or near bare minimum” staffing on several shifts.
Car said the department finished 2025 with 20 sworn officers but that routine assignments — a detective, two school-resource officers and supervisory staff — reduce available patrol staffing. Accounting for injuries and one officer on light duty, he said, the effective patrol strength can fall to 14 officers, leaving two shifts covered by only four officers. “If somebody wants a vacation on those two shifts, it calls overtime,” Car said, adding that training or filling vacancies likewise forces overtime.
The presentation included a breakdown of crime- and service-related statistics: approximately 337 total arrests (96 felonies, 241 misdemeanors), notable increases in mental-health-related calls and attempted suicides year-over-year, and an increase in animal complaints. Car described cross-deputization agreements with tribal police and EMTT County as a way to improve response flexibility and highlighted community outreach efforts — the citizens academy, school training, and a new therapy dog program.
Council members pressed Car on recruitment and retention strategies. Councilmember Walker asked whether pay, benefits or family leave could be used to attract candidates; Car pointed instead to housing availability in the region as a principal obstacle: “It's very difficult” for new officers to find local housing, he said. Car recommended adding two officers by 2027 to provide five officers per shift in summer months.
Car stressed the department's reliance on overtime and the risk of burnout if staffing lags. Councilmembers expressed support for addressing the issue in the 2026 budget process and asked staff to return with options for recruitment, retention and realistic budget impact estimates.
Council did not take formal action during the presentation; Car encouraged continued dialogue with council on staffing priorities and the department’s operating needs.
Ending — The council thanked Car and the department for the report and directed staff to note manpower concerns in upcoming budget planning. No vote was taken during this presentation.
