Peru police may face shortage until 2025, but shifts will meet required staffing

The Peru Police Department may be working short staffed until January 2025, Peru police Chief Sarah Raymond said during the Jan. 15 Peru City Council meeting.

The department has 24 sworn officers, Raymond said in an email: the chief, two lieutenants, four patrol sergeants, one detective sergeant, two detectives, one school resource officer, one assigned to task force and 12 officers in patrol with three officers working per shift.

Raymond said that to be fully staffed, the department would need to hire two more patrol officers. The department has one immediate opening and will have one more to come.

Patrol Lt. Art Smith said he was confident that officers would continue to provide high-quality police service during the temporary shortage.

“The minimum number of patrol officers working a shift will not decrease,” he said. “Additionally, personnel from other divisions within the department, such as the detectives and command staff, assist the patrol division as needed during times of unusually high call volume.”

Smith said he expects overtime shifts to rise slightly until the department is back to being fully staffed, but he doesn’t expect any issues.

“Although they may be even busier than usual,” he said, “their commitment to this department, their duties and the citizens of Peru will remain the same. ... Filling overtime shifts at the Peru Police Department has not been a concern up to this point, and I don’t believe it will be an issue going forward until the vacancies are filled.”

The starting base salary for a Peru officer is $61,954, Raymond said. That increases to $64,284 upon completion of the 14-week field training officer program. She said a pay increase may be expected.

“The Fraternal Order of Police contract is currently under negotiation,” she said. “I would expect the pay to increase on May 1.”

A new officer with no experience will need to attend a certified police academy for 16 weeks and, upon graduation, there will be another 14- to 16-week FTO period.

“The next academy date we have a seat reserved for isn’t until May 6,” Raymond said, “which would put that officer on their own on the road around January 2025.”

Raymond said she doesn’t foresee the shortage hurting residents or officers, as the department has never had an issue filling overtime, and the quality of service the officers provide will remain unchanged.

“We are a busy department,” she said. “The officers do an excellent job of responding to calls for service and providing quality police work for the citizens of Peru and surrounding communities.”