When Watsonville Police Chief Brian Shab took the helm of the department early this year, he saw a problem that is plaguing law enforcement agencies across the country: recruiting and retaining officers.
In a department authorized to employ 71 officers, the Watsonville Police Department has 61. Four recruits are currently in the field training program or attending the police academy.
“The vast majority of departments across the country, and certainly across the Bay Area, are understaffed,” Shab said.
That marks a sharp shift from when he became a police officer in 1998, when he was one of 3,000 applicants competing for 60 spots.
“You had to be in the 95th percentile to move into the selection process,” he said. “It was just a different time.”
In 2024, California counties averaged fewer than two officers per 1,000 residents, according to the Peace Officers Research Association of California. That compares with a nationwide average of 2.3 officers per 1,000 residents, according to FBI data.
Several factors contribute to the shortage, according to PORAC.
Negative public sentiment toward law enforcement has reduced interest in the profession. Agencies report a sharp drop in applications, fueled in part by anti-police rhetoric and concerns about officer safety, including what they describe as a rise in targeted attacks.
Departments are also facing higher attrition and early departures. Officials cite the physical and emotional strain of the job, which has led more officers to retire early or leave voluntarily.
Lengthy hiring processes have further slowed efforts to replace departing staff.
Shab said that while WPD may not pay as much as agencies in larger cities, the department’s culture and the Watsonville community help retain officers.
“I want people to realize how important this job is and why Watsonville is the perfect place to do it,” he said. “Watsonville has this combination of a department that cares, a department that supports, a department that understands what being a cop is all about, and at the same time has a community that wraps their arms around them every day.”
While WPD actively recruits new officers, it also encourages lateral transfers, offering $50,000 hiring bonuses to officers from other agencies.
Shab said he is a strong proponent of offsetting staffing shortages through technology such as Flock license plate readers.
The issue has polarized some communities, with opponents arguing the cameras amount to a surveillance state and raising concerns that the data could be obtained and used by federal officials for immigration enforcement.
In September, the Watsonville City Council renewed a two-year, $251,000 contract for 20 license plate reader cameras and approved the addition of 17 more, despite community opposition.bPolice say the technology has helped locate and arrest dangerous suspects.
“Leveraging technology is going to be incredibly important for us,” Shab said. “We are very fortunate in this city that we have a council and a community right now that supports the use of technology, including license plate reader technology.”
Shab said the data will not be used for immigration enforcement.
“The law doesn’t allow that,” he said. “We have policies and practices in place to make sure that doesn’t happen. The company itself has policies and practices in place to make sure that doesn’t happen. I want to make sure that we’re being transparent in how we use it.”
