Asheville Police Chief David Zack said delayed response times — for crimes, such as fraud and many thefts under $1,000 — and even more service cuts are likely as APD struggles to fill vacancies that now amount to 30% of the 238 sworn officer positions.
Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, says the first APD patrol unit assigned was at 5:47 a.m., and police arrived at the scene at 5:51 a.m., 16 minutes after the call came through.
Some of those injuries are physical, while others are mental, including post-traumatic stress following the police killing of George Floyd, the rioting, and torching of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct.
The officer shortage is most critical in cities that experienced waves of protests and riots in 2020.
“If an anti-police environment were driving separations, we would expect to see a large number of separations with years of service insufficient to retire,” Larry Hadfield, department spokesperson, said in an email. “So far, we have not seen that.”
On Thursday, Portland police reassigned sergeants and officers from three precincts "in an effort to reduce overtime costs."
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said 70 uniformed members of the NYPD and 28 civilians employees have tested positive for COVID-19. One person was released from the hospital Sunday while three remained hospitalized, according to Shea.
Senior LAPD officials have grave concerns about coronavirus infections spreading among officers, who would then have to be isolated and removed from work while the officers are tested or treated.
Even after lowering the hiring standards, many agencies can't fill their ranks. In some cities it's common for detectives and other plainclothes personnel to be sent out in uniform on patrol. In some jurisdictions it's not unusual for patrol units to field 50% of their allocated officers because they just don't have enough people to do the job.
The Auburn (NY) Police Department has placed giant "we're hiring" signs in the local area in an effort to fill the ranks as numerous officers are set to retire in coming months.
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