EVERETT, AUG. 5: While police recruitment and retention continue to be a struggle for many jurisdictions across the country, Everett Police reports success in hiring and positions filled.
During a recent Everett City Council meeting, Police Chief John DeRousse gave an update on the department’s hiring and retention progress.
As of the beginning of July this year, 81 officers have been assigned to patrol, the highest number seen in over a decade, DeRousse said.
The department currently has 19 full-time employees (FTE) vacancies. However, 16 of these positions are partially funded through a federal grant.
Each jurisdiction follows a ratio of 1,000 residents per officer. This is calculated by dividing the number of officer positions by the total population of a community.
Everett police currently has 255.5 FTEs budgeted for this year. Of those FTES, 219 are sworn-in officers, while the other 36 are civilian employees.
The department is currently at 91% staffed with commissioned officers. At this time last year, the department was only 87% staffed.
Everett police are only down five positions or 2.4%, not including the additional grant positions. Compared to other local cities, Bellevue is down 16%, Renton is down 13% and Seattle is down over 30%, according to city data.
DeRousse attributes this success to the recruitment and processing team and an overall increased interest in law enforcement from the community.
Another key factor for this hiring success is the North Sound Basic Law Enforcement Academy in Arlington that opened last year. The first class of officers graduated at the end of July.
The new Arlington academy guarantees Everett recruits a space in upcoming classes. Before the new academy opened in Arlington, recruits would have to wait for openings at the Burien academy, adding more time to the hiring process, DeRousse explained during the council meeting.
A big part of Everett’s goal is to hire a diverse range of officers to match the local community. Last year, 56% of Everett police hires identified as Black, Indigenous, and or People of Color (BIPOC).
“We are committed to building a department that is not only fully staffed, but properly staffed in the way our community appreciates,” DeRousse said.
If you are interested in learning more about the Everett Police Department, see here.
