Law enforcement agencies across Johnson County are seeing a gradual rebound in staffing after pandemic-era declines, with departments now nearing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels but still slightly below where they once were. The recovery comes as agencies continue to compete for fewer applicants and adjust recruitment strategies.
Iowa City has followed the national trend, reaching as low as 73 officers in 2021 and now having 83, the highest the department has seen since 2020, just one below the department’s authorized number of budget-approved positions.
The biggest staffing challenge, Iowa City Chief of Police Dustin Liston said, was not hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic…