GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sworn officer staffing shortages are an issue facing law enforcement agencies across the state, and departments are using various methods to bridge gaps.
The Greensboro Police Department said there were 130 openings as of early December, and 114 were for sworn officer positions.
The Durham Police Department estimates they are around 120 officers short. Meanwhile, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is working to fill approximately 300 officer positions, and the Raleigh Police Department said they are more than 100 officers short.
Greensboro Police Lt. Holly Pate said police departments across the state are trying to reduce the number of calls they get while stretching their resources to keep cities safe.
In her district, that means backfilling shifts, using some of the department's specialized units to help cover regular patrol shifts when needed and working with hotels to improve safety.
Pate estimates that it takes 10 months to train and prepare an officer to respond to calls on their own.
She says every district and department across North Carolina has its own unique needs, but staffing shortages take a toll on officers wherever they are.
“We do the best we can with the personnel we have, and they’re really good at taking care of each other and the citizens we come in contact with,” Pate said. “We are a little slower to respond to some calls because it does take longer to get there when you have less people.”
She believes staffing shortages are fixable, but said it will require time to refill the ranks and education about what it means to be a police officer.