MUSKEGON, Mich. — The City of Muskegon Police Department is operating with fewer officers in the city than what leaders say is needed to keep the community and other officers safe.
- The department is currently operating with 65 officers instead of the authorized 79 positions.
- Chief Timothy Kozal says the staffing shortage has forced the department to be more reactive than proactive.
- The department is offering to pay wages and academy costs for four immediate openings, requiring only a high school diploma.
WATCH: Muskegon police department understaffed by 14 officers, offering paid academy for 4 positions
There are currently 65 officers sworn-in of the 79 total positions available in the department, creating a significant gap in staffing levels.
"We would like to be proactive, but sometimes we're more reactive than we are proactive, especially with our numbers," Chief Kozal said.
Despite hiring 10 new officers last year, the department lost eight to retirement or resignation, making it difficult to close the staffing gap.
To address the immediate need, the department is looking to fill four positions through a paid academy program. Applicants need only a high school diploma, or the equivalent of a high school diploma, to qualify.
"We actually pay you a wage, and we pay for your school. And after you're done, you could come and be a cop here in the city of Muskegon," Chief Kozal said.
The 16-week police academy requires daily attendance, but participants receive compensation from the police department throughout their training.
Chief Kozal explains that increasing officer numbers would provide much-needed backup for current officers and allow for better scheduling flexibility.
"With better staffing, I can now give time off to officers where before they might not be able to be afforded time off, because we're at our minimum staffing levels," Chief Kozal said. "We need to have that street strength so that we have enough officers that can cover the entire city."
Chief Kozal emphasizes that growing the department is essential not only for community safety but also for officer safety and to enable participation in collaborative efforts with other jurisdictions in the county.
"We have a canine team that we've been wanting to kick off, that I've been authorized to do, but I just haven't had the staff to be able to get that going," Chief Kozal said. "To be able to have someone there to back you up on a traffic stop, to be able to back you up on just a police call. It's paramount."
Click here if you're interested in first steps of applying for one of the four open academy positions.
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