Retaining and recruiting police officers is an ongoing issue in Huron, according to city commissioner Gary Harrington.
Harrington spoke at yesterday’s State of the City luncheon at the Huron Event Center.
Harrington says the department continues to lose officers to larger communities.
Harrington says nationally the number of applicants for police work has decreased by about a third.
Maintaining a diverse police force is another challenge in a smaller community. Harrington says the Huron Police Department has had some success in that area.
Harrington says Huron Fire Department currently has a roster of 32. A new cadet program is one way the department is addressing a potential manpower shortage in the future.
The Fire Department will be getting a new fire truck in 2020. Harrington says the city has been putting money aside for the purchase for the last few years.