San Diego officials announced this month that they were kick-starting a monthslong process to find retiring Chief David Nisleit’s successor.
The next police chief for the nation’s eighth largest city will face persistent challenges — many of which are shared by law enforcement agencies nationwide, the Times Union reports.
Police leaders identified staffing struggles as a top priority.
Fueled by a storm of factors — from the COVID-19 pandemic to low morale to better pay at other agencies — the department has struggled for years to bolster its ranks. Currently, San Diego is short about 200 sworn officers. Although attrition has slowed since fiscal 2022, when more than 240 officers left the department, police leaders suspect rough years are ahead.
That’s partly because a much higher number of officers who signed up for the city’s deferred retirement option plan, known as DROP, will be leaving soon. DROP allows city employees to collect pension in a retirement account if they agree to retire within five years of the date they enroll. In fiscal 2025 and 2026, nearly 130 officers in the program are projected to retire. That’s double the number of officers that are expected to leave due to DROP in the two fiscal years after that.
Academy classes are shrinking, as well.
Community leaders pointed to a variety concerns they hoped the next police chief would tackle, but a renewed focus on community-oriented policing rose to the top.
Downtown San Diego Partnership also hopes the department’s next leader would combat reported thefts, increase the number of officers on the street with e-bike or walking patrols, and focus on recruiting diverse candidates to fill much-needed officer and dispatcher vacancies.
Mayor Todd Gloria had his own wish list for the next chief of police. In a two-minute video on the city’s police chief recruitment page, the mayor underscored San Diego’s diverse, binational community and its LGBTQ-friendly stance.
He said the city is looking for a chief who is innovative, adaptable and forward thinking, and who will help attract and retain police officers by forging a department that’s supportive and inclusive.
The city began its search Nov. 14 and will accept applications until Jan. 19.
