EAST DUBLIN, Ga. — For years, police departments all over the county have faced staffing shortages. A 2019 survey from Police Executive Research Forum reveals more than 80% of police agencies nationwide say they're experiencing staffing shortages.
That same survey says three out of four agencies claim the situation hasn't improved over the last five years.
East Dublin Police say they're no exception. Their population is small- according to Data Commons, it's less than 3,000 people. But Police Chief Bill Luecke said they can't respond to all their calls themselves.
"There was a time, I call it the happier days, when people would come to me wanting a job. Well now they come to you wanting to know what you gonna give them," he said.
About seven months ago, they bumped up starting officer pay to about $20 an hour, for full-time employees. That works out to over $41,000 a year.
Luecke said that's helped, but their current department of six full-time officers and three part-time officers is still struggling.
"So if I got two down, we're you know- I've been having to work midnight shifts by myself," he said.
That's why you might have seen the chief of police taking on patrol duties last week. He's looking to hire one more full-time officer and four part-time officers.
"We do the best with what we can, with what we got. And we ask for forgiveness if we fall; sometimes drop the ball," Luecke said.
Doing the best with what they have, sometimes means asking the area's larger departments- like the Dublin Police Department, Laurens County Sheriff's Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for help.
But he said without more funding in the future, he doesn't see the problem getting any better.
"At one point in time somewhere, if the state or the federal would come involved as far as equipment, monetary raises- I'm not talking about pay the whole salary, but a little incentive, it would help out," Leuke said.
He said if anyone's interested in working for his department, they have good health insurance for the whole family. You can find more information at this link, or stop by East Dublin City Hall to fill out an application.