Struggle continues to hire Burlington police, several community officers hired

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Nearly two years after the Burlington City Council required the police department cut its force by 30%, the department is still struggling to bring new officers in.

Acting Chief Jon Murad says the department currently has 65 total officers, 57 of whom are deployable, to respond to calls for service throughout the city.

The department has brought in a total of eight new community service officers.

Murad says the total number of officers will continue to drop due to natural attrition.

“Out headcount may drop down further into the very high 50s,” Murad said. “At that point, we’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to institute a very robust retention and recruitment plan, a plan that is a priority for the mayor for us to be able to grow again.”

In October, the City Council voted to raise the number the officers from the cap of 74 to 87, which would include the officers stationed at the Burlington airport.

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