We've been on 12s about a decade. With 17' including one in field training, we're at the most critical shortage I've seen in 30 years. We have another due to graduate the academy and another in the hiring process.
The interim chief is covering shifts to cover leave requests. It's very difficult to get any coverage when someone calls in. This time last year we had 22 total. We don't get a lot of applicants. The officers union did some research and found that we are third from the bottom in pay among comparable agencies.
No one wants to be a cop anymore and frankly I don't blame them.