Lincoln agencies among those affected by nationwide law enforcement shortage

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Law enforcement agencies throughout the nation are experiencing shortages, and Nebraska is no exception.

“Lots of agencies are having lots of problems,” said Chief Lancaster County Deputy Ben Houchin.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is facing a shortage of eight deputies, something Houchin said has been a problem since 2017.

“We’ve been down for several years, but this probably been the worst,” he said.

But there’s hope that the shortage could ease soon.

“This last hiring cycle, we had 50 more people to apply than had been, so we are feeling positive about this,” Houchin said.

This increase in interest is credited to various recruitment techniques, such as retention bonuses and social media advertising.

The Lincoln Police Department is also facing a shortage. It is 9% under authorized strength and looking for more than 30 officers to fill positions.

LPD officers currently are offered retention bonuses from the state as well as an internal bonus for time spent as an officer.

“The retention bonus internally was negotiated about three years ago and basically provided officers a certain amount with the amount of time they had by August of 2024,” Assistant Chief Brian Jackson said.

LPD accepts applications year-round and offers training in house here in Lincoln.

“We are in a constant state of applications and taking applications and doing testing for our academy,” Jackson said.

Nebraska lawmakers recently passed a bill allowing dependents of law enforcement, as well as officers without a bachelor’s degree, to enroll in a state school for free.

Despite these shortages, Lincoln law enforcement agencies remain confident in their staff and their ability to perform their duties.