Retired officers needed
The Ventura Police Department needs a few good retired officers.
The department has a staffing crisis. Assistant Chief Dave Wilson said it should have 127 officers, but some are out with injuries, and 11 newly hired officers are still training. Willson said officers are being paid overtime to appear in court cases on their days off.
To cut down on all that overtime pay, the City Council approved a plan to bring back retired officers interested in working part time.
Some retired officers have shown an interest. The department won’t have to train them or do expensive background checks. They will also help during special events, when extra officers are often needed.