Brooklyn Park Police Department staffing down about 20% since the start of 2023, records show
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — A suburban police force is dealing with a dramatic number of departures.
City records obtained by WCCO show 19 patrol officers have left the Brooklyn Park Police Department since the start of 2023, in addition to a sergeant and four cadets. With current staffing in the low- to mid-90s, that's roughly 20% of the force.
"We've lost some folks to retirement," said Inspector Elliot Faust. "Several officers that have gone on to other careers, gotten out of this line of work. Some officers have decided to go to other agencies, so yeah, it's been a high number, difficult to keep up with."
Five of the 19 who have left didn't last a year on the job. Two others didn't make it past two years.
Faust says most of those decided the job wasn't for them, and with others, the department made that decision for them.
"Things just don't go as planned," he said.
But amid the number crunch, both overall crime and violent crime are down this year compared to last.
WCCO asked BPPD how necessary more officers are.
"There's a smaller number of officers working way more hours, and that's just something we realize that's not sustainable," Faust said. "I would suspect [the decrease in crime] has a little less to do with the number of officers on the street and more to do with ebbs and flows of society."
Faust says reinforcements are on the way. Thirteen new officers have started this year, and 10 more will start next month.
"That's the most we've ever hired, so we've got some good news there," Faust said.