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Hampton police chief seeks certification of eligibility list as department faces multiple vacancies
Summary
Chief Vulakovich told council four officers are off the schedule and another may leave, creating at least two vacancies; seven applicants are qualified and the chief requested certification of a new eligibility list to allow conditional offers with tentative July 2 start dates.
Chief Vulakovich briefed the council on staffing needs in the Hampton Police Department, saying four officers are currently off the schedule and a fifth may be leaving for employment elsewhere, creating at least two open full‑time positions.
Vulakovich said seven applicants have qualified and he would like to move quickly: he asked the council to certify a new eligibility list before extending conditional offers so that the two selected candidates could tentatively begin service on July 2. Municipal Manager R. Jeroski said staff were moving aggressively through the hiring process and that a third vacancy could be added depending on the timing of an officer’s departure.
Council member B. Blackburn asked about the officer seeking another department and Vulakovich said that officer wanted to return to the area he originally came from. Dr. Johnson asked whether offering a third position without explicit agenda notice could create legal issues; Legal Counsel M. Cromer replied that notice had been provided and there were no legal impediments to doing so.
Why it matters: Maintaining adequate staffing levels affects emergency response capacity and routine policing. The council discussed certification of the eligibility list and timing for conditional offers; no formal appointments were recorded at the agenda meeting.
