2025 Annual Report_Updated 2 - Flipbook - Page 23
CHALLENGE
The most pressing challenge this department faces is an ongoing staffing shortage taking
place over the past few years. This is due to a myriad of reasons which are overwhelmingly
beyond the control of Command staff. A steady stream of overlapping staffing shortages
was met with individual and collective strategies to circumvent a failure in public safety. This
is an unsustainable scenario for the long term future.
As a result…
Absences
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Injured on Duty
Disciplinary Actions
Medical Reasons
Maternity Leave
Paternity Leave
Training Attendance
Staff Study
Traffic and speed studies halted
Proactive patrols decreased by 15%
Response time for non-priority calls increased
Officers’ wellbeing is compromised at an increase rate
Increased liability utilizing outside agencies
Increased overtime rates to pay outside agency OT costs
The Department was understaffed prior to the above absences. In 2022, the
Police Commission hired SafeCity Solutions to conduct a Staff Study resulting
in a recommendation to hire five additional Patrol Officers. The Police
Commission approved hiring two additional patrol officers in 2023.
Currently there is no formulated plan, both fiscally and administratively, to
take actionable steps to reach the recommended police officer staffing level.
35%
Overlapping
Officer
Absences
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There are four zones of coverage throughout the jurisdiction
Each member of a squad is assigned a zone
With absences, officers must cover more than one zone
Additional absence in a Squad causes overtime
Persistent shortage affects the well being of officers
Central Bucks Regional Police Department
