West Branch police chief urges council to drop 8-mile residency rule to aid recruitment

Police Chief Greg Hall asked the West Branch City Council on Sept. 3 to reconsider the city's eight-mile residency requirement for sworn officers, saying removing it would help with recruitment and retention.

"Living in the town you work should be a choice, not a requirement for their line of work," Hall said, adding that many surrounding communities have eliminated residency rules and that allowing officers to live outside an arbitrary radius would support well-being. Hall told the council the department is fully staffed with five officers and that on-call time has been largely eliminated, reducing the operational need for a strict residency rule.

Hall's request prompted supportive remarks from Councilmember Mike Horihan, who drew on his experience as a former police chief and said residency rules can hamper recruitment. Councilmember Tom Dean also expressed support. Councilmember Colton Miller said he was reluctant to remove all limits, asking what would happen if an officer lived out of state or could not reach duty in bad weather; Miller suggested extending the mileage requirement instead of eliminating it outright.

City Administrator Adam Kofoed said he and Hall would work together to draft proposed changes and bring options back to the council for consideration.

Why it matters: residency rules affect the size and stability of small municipal police forces and can shape hiring competitiveness with neighboring jurisdictions. The council did not take formal action on Sept. 3; Hall's request set the stage for staff to prepare policy options and possible mileage or emergency-response provisions for future council consideration.

Next steps: Hall will collaborate with Kofoed to prepare draft language for council review at a future meeting. No ordinance or vote was scheduled at the Sept. 3 meeting.