As PORAC members know all too well, levels of sworn personnel have reached dangerously low levels across the state. This is exacerbated by the current political climate, which has created a vicious cycle where recruiting new officers has never been more difficult and burnt-out officers are retiring at record rates. As a result, it is increasingly challenging to maintain the right number of officers. That is why we felt it was necessary to develop our own original research to show the levels of sworn law enforcement personnel throughout the state.
This research brief directly spells out how we got here and the consequences of these ongoing shortages. Our research underlines the need to maintain fully staffed and funded departments across all of California and notes the importance of bolstering recruitment, retention and proper training for officers. PORAC continues to advocate for additional resources for law enforcement at both the state and federal levels, and we look forward to working with elected officials across the aisle to find commonsense and comprehensive solutions that will prioritize the safety of our officers and the communities we all serve.