New Hampton Police Continue to Recruit for Additional Officer

The New Hampton Police Department continues its search to add another officer to the force.

NHPD has been taking applications since early June after an officer departed the staff. The initial recruitment period ended with just one applicant who could not make the testing schedule. After reopening applications, one candidate applied, went through testing, but Chief Zach Nosbisch says the applicant declined the position. He says they’ll continue to take applications until the job is filled.

In addition to the officer who left NHPD, another officer went on Family Medical Leave and was out from late June until returning to work earlier this month. 

Nosbisch says finding another officer has been tough with increased competition for peace officers throughout the area. There are also fewer people seeking to join the law enforcement profession due to a negative view of police in recent years.

City officials have also discovered that New Hampton police officers have been making, on average, $2 to $3 less per hour than those in neighboring communities. The City has been looking at efforts to increase pay for the entire police department.