Commission Hears Update on Staffing Shortages At Police Department

At Monday's Salina City Commission meeting, officials discussed ongoing recruitment efforts for the police department amid staffing shortages.

Human Resources Director Natalie Fischer reported that the police department is currently down about 19 positions, with the majority of those vacancies being in officer roles. She stated the department is "continuing to do a lot of recruitment fairs" and is in the process of updating recruitment videos and revamping their website.

When asked about specific recruitment strategies, Fischer said the city is reaching out to multiple recruitment sources across multiple states and regions. This includes both virtual and in-person job fairs, as well as outreach to schools, universities, and boards that cater to municipal jobs.

Commissioners inquired about potentially increasing advertising efforts and budgets for recruitment. City Manager Mike Schrage noted that while the police department had previously done extensive recruitment campaigns, they are now looking to update and expand those efforts.

The discussion on police recruitment was part of a larger conversation about citywide staffing challenges and efforts to attract and retain employees across various departments.