TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Police Department is facing issues with recruitment, and the city of Toledo is aware of it.
"There seems to be a general atmosphere of having a job as a police officer is not a favorable job right now," said Toledo City Council member John Hobbs III.
As of May 16, TPD has 605 officers in its force, nearly 100 shy of Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz's goal three years ago of having 700.
"This is not only a Toledo thing, it's a nationwide epidemic," Hobbs said.
According to the Police Executive Research Forum, an independent research organization, new officer numbers decreased by 4.8% nationwide from January 2020 to January 2023.
TPD wants to recruit 40 officers for the class of March 2025, something Police Chief Michael Troendle says will keep nearly the same protocol as years past in order to do so.
"The standard is still there," Troendle said. "When they come, when they get done with their backgrounds and they get offered employment, they have to take that pre-academy entrance exam for physical fitness and they have to pass it. So, that hasn't changed over the years."
But what has changed? Mental health resources for officers.
"We have learned a lot since the 30 years I have came on the job," Troendle said. "We do so much for our officers and their mental well-being, and we have a lot of wellness days and things that are available for our officers that weren't available 30 years ago."
Officers have 42 wellness days available to them.
With notable progress, officials say more can be done. Police leaders believe a big help would be better relationships between the community and police.
"I believe that healthy officers, I believe that happy officers, I believe officers that are joyful, who enjoy their job, makes a safer community," Hobbs said. "I think it adds a piece that when they are dealing with a person in public, if I feel better, I'm better with you."