The Ansonia police station at 65 Main St.
ANSONIA – Retirements and injuries have the police department operating at about 68 percent capacity, the department’s leaders said last week. The shortage is causing the department to spend money on overtime to keep shifts covered.
“The department has always and will continue to maintain a full complement of officers on the road and this is accomplished through overtime,” Lt. Patrick Lynch said. ​“By maintaining proper staffing levels, we have not seen any delay in the servicing of calls, but this has increased our overtime usage and the amount of hours officers work.”
Ansonia Police Chief Wayne Williams reviewed department staffing during a public meeting with the Ansonia Board of Aldermen on Aug. 9.
“One officer retired, and another officer is retiring next month,” Williams told the board. ​“Two officers are out on long-term injury, two are on extended leave, and we have several trainees in the academy and two officers in field training. On top of that we have several openings.”
Lynch said the department, at full complement, has 46 sworn officers. But with the current shortage, there are 36 certified officers on the job. Lynch said the six officers in training are currently enrolled in four different police academies, and are expected to be fully trained by late winter and early next spring.
Lynch said the department has been working to hire new officers over the last two years and will continue until all the positions are filled. He said the department currently has four openings.
“The shortage in Ansonia is not unique but something many other departments in Connecticut and across the country are dealing with every day,” Lynch said. ​“It is a combination of several factors driving this issue, some of which are COVID-related, the negative portrayal of police by some of the media, the (Connecticut) police accountability bill and an overall lack of interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement.”
The Derby Police Department has faced the same staffing issues, with some eight vacancies as of May and the retirement of several veteran officers – including the chief of police.
A 2021 survey from the Police Executive Research Forum showed a 45 percent increase in retirements and an 18 percent jump in resignations over the previous year.
