VIDEO: St. Louis Police Department Facing Staffing Crisis, Union Says
Video: St. Louis Police Department Facing Staffing Crisis, Union Says
Police union officials say St. Louis is facing a police staffing crisis. Currently, there are 1,196 sworn officers in the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. But Jeff Roorda, business manager of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, believes that number is actually closer to 1,000 or 1,100 when considering military, maternity or sick leave.
May 19, 2017
1 min to read
Police union officials say St. Louis is facing a police staffing crisis. Currently, there are 1,196 sworn officers in the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. But Jeff Roorda, business manager of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, believes that number is actually closer to 1,000 or 1,100 when considering military, maternity or sick leave.
5 On Your Side asked SLMPD for information to confirm that, but did not receive a response.
Add to that, Roorda said, the 100 positions the department cannot fill and the near 80 officers who’ve recently applied to go work in St. Louis County.
Roorda said the city is finding it hard to attract and retain officers. Starting officers in the city make about $10,000 less than an officer starting in the county. And that difference in pay can be even higher with more years of service.
More Patrol
Sponsored•March 2, 2026
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →
Versaterm Launches Innovation Summit for Public Safety Drone Operations
The two-day DroneSense Innovation Summit by Versaterm will bring together public safety and industry experts to define best practices for scaling drone operations.
Read More →
What Makes a Good LE Boot?
Learn what makes a boot good for police officers as POLICE visits with Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, who explains the features of boots and why each is needed in an LE boot.
Read More →
Folds of Honor Opens Scholarship Application for Children and Spouses of Fallen or Disabled Service Members and First Responders
The application period for the Folds of Honor scholarship program is now open through the end of March. Scholarships support students from early education through postsecondary studies, easing the financial burden for families who have given so much in service to others.
Read More →
Team Wendy Now on GovX: Faster Verification and Discount Access for Eligible Professionals
With GovX verification now integrated directly into the Team Wendy checkout experience, eligible customers can confirm their status in just a few clicks and have the discount applied automatically.
Read More →
5.11 Debuts 2026 Footwear & Apparel at SHOT Show
5.11 showcased new apparel and footwear products during SHOT Show 2026, including new color options for the A/T Boa Lite Mid Boot and the Founder’s Jacket.
Read More →