MINNEAPOLIS — Right now, 204 law enforcement departments across the state of Minnesota are down officers, according to Minnesota Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS).
For perspective, there are just over 400 law enforcement departments in Minnesota currently.
LELS executive director Jim Mortenson says the law enforcement profession has a supply and demand problem these days. He says there aren’t enough officers to go around, so officers are applying with departments that offer the biggest paycheck and best benefits.
"The days of officers being loyal and dedicated to just a certain department for their whole career has kind of gone to the wayside,” Mortenson said.
He says some well-off cities and counties are doing just fine when it comes to staffing, but many communities with smaller budgets are struggling to find officers.
Over the last two years, four Minnesota police departments have closed their doors. In 2022, police departments in Spring Grove, Morris and Ortonville closed, while the Wheaton Police Department closed earlier this year.
Mortenson says in all these cases, the nearby county sheriff’s department took over policing duties, but many sheriff’s offices are also struggling to hire deputies.
"We've also seen a significant decrease in kids coming out of high school and wanting to go into law enforcement as their profession."
Mortenson says an internal study shows enrollment in law enforcement programs in Minnesota dropped 28% from 2014 to 2021.
He says a lot of middle-aged officers are also calling it quits in the middle of their careers.
"They're looking at it saying I don't need this. I can go and do a different job and about the same amount of money, or more money, and I don't have to put up with all the negative oversight.”
Statewide he says Minnesota is down more than 1,000 officers, and if something doesn't change that number could grow even higher in the coming years.
"Society can't do without law enforcement. We have to have those folks out there being the protectors."
A quick search of the Minnesota POST Board’s website shows a significant pay gap between various cities and counties when it comes to open law enforcement positions.
Some communities are offering a starting wage that is less than $30 an hour, and other communities are offering candidates a starting wage that can reach well over $50 an hour.
Some communities are also offering added benefits and bonuses such as bonus pay if the candidate is scheduled to work an overnight shift.
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