The challenge of recruiting police officers has become a growing issue across the country, but the problem is becoming increasingly visible in Buffalo where officials are confronting shrinking academy classes, rising retirements, an increasingly competitive hiring landscape, and a disdain for law enforcement.
As discussions surrounding the next labor contract between the city and the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association begin taking shape, one issue appears to be drawing attention from nearly everyone involved: finding enough people willing to become police officers.
Recent hiring numbers illustrate the challenge…