The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department has announced that it is currently facing a staffing crisis.

The department’s Police Benevolent Association revealed that the city's contract mandates a minimum of 96 sworn officers. There are fewer than 80 officers available.

Due to the shortage, the department has necessitated assistance from neighboring law enforcement agencies such as the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and the state police.

The announcement comes following the retirement of Captain Steven Minard, who served with the department for 40 years.

This trend is not unique to Poughkeepsie – police departments across the nation are experiencing a loss of officers faster than they can hire new ones.

A recent survey by the Police Executive Research Forum showed that staffing levels in police departments were nearly 1% lower in January of last year compared to the previous year, and almost 5% lower than in January 2020.