Then that is a simple supply and demand problem solved by incentivizing (increasing pay) until the supply matches the demand and required qualifications.
If the current supply is inadequate to do their job properly, raise the salary and attract better qualified candidates.
you then need to get rid of unions. there's no need for that middle man.
Stockton police losing officers at 'alarming rate'
Chief worries force is turning into 'training ground' for rookies
Stockton police losing officers at 'alarming rate' | Local News - KCRA Home
11:43 PM PST Feb 16, 2016
Police officers are leaving Stockton at what the chief calls an “alarming rate,” due to the city’s struggles to pay them at a competitive rate.
The exodus comes as the department is trying to expand from less than 320 officers during the recession to 485 by 2017.
Since 2012, 60 officers have left for jobs at other law enforcement agencies, with another 127 officers bowing out due to retirement, medical issues or other reasons.
“We’re not going to rebuild the department to where it needs to be if we continue that trend," Police Chief Eric Jones said. "If we can’t stop the bleeding, we can’t treat the wound.”
Jones worries the department is turning into a training ground, with rookie officers leaving after two years or less for greener pastures.
“The primary issue is the total compensation or pay in benefits, where we’ve fallen below market rate,” Jones said.
The numbers show how wide that gap is in Stockton.
The minimum salary for new officers in Stockton is $5,069 per month compared to $5,563 per month in Lodi and $6,196 per month in Manteca.
(Lodi is connected to Stockton on the North. Manteca connected on the South. both are a lot "safer".)
The Police Association's current contract expires in July, which is when the association's president, Kathryn Nance, plans to push for higher wages and better benefits.
“I don’t think anybody expects that we’re going to have this huge bump in pay that says you’re going to be paid the same as BART or San Francisco or anything like that, but what we have to do is continually improve,” Nance said.
In 2013, Stockton approved a .75 percent sales tax, raising the rate to 9 percent overall, which is the highest in the county. The money was supposed to pay for an additional 120 officers.
It’s unclear where the money would come from to increase the wages of officers.
Former council member Ralph White believes the city can’t afford to pay them more.
“Are we paying what other cities are paying? No,” White said. “There was a time when we paid way more than other cities, and that’s what got us bankrupt.”