Police Staffing Shortage

At a glance

What: the Worcester Police Department's officer shortage and the Council's orders on staffing, recruitment, two-officer patrol cars, cadets and academy classes. It began in the 2026-09-08 Public Safety hearing on the Police Hospital Guard Duty communication.
Where it stands: on October 6, 2026 the Council adopted Bergman's order for two academy classes in 2027 (one FY27, one FY28) with a fiscal-impact report; a related order was adopted under suspension on October 13.
Next: reports ordered on staffing, recruitment, retention, grants and cadet programs.

Background

The department is down about 70 to 75 officers (478 against a goal of about 538 per the 2026-09-29 hearing); the Chief wants two academy classes a year and favors two-officer cars.
20 patrol routes unchanged for about 50 years should be redrawn from call data (Saucier, 2026-09-08).
Tony Economou and Morris A. Bergman discussed two-officer patrol cars, more officers, precinct stations and a Worcester County Sheriff's Office arrangement.
Hospital Guard duty adds to the strain; see Police Hospital Guard Duty.

Decisions

October 6, 2026: Bergman's two-academy-class order adopted (one FY27, one FY28) with a fiscal-impact report.
September 29, 2026:
- The two-officers-per-car report order was adopted, with King's added cost analysis and research.
- Chief Saucier's staffing, traffic and retirement communications went to Public Safety, with new reports ordered on recruitment, retention and grants and on cadet programs.
September 8, 2026: the Public Safety Committee adopted orders asking the City Manager for:
- A report and cost estimate on staffing two officers per patrol car.
- An update on the July 21, 2026 order about lateral-transfer recruiting incentives from other cities and towns.

Sources

Discussion time

About 70 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-09-29 - City Council	62
2026-09-08 - Public Safety Committee	8

Log

2026-10-13 - City Council — Khrystian E. King's order (13d, adopted under suspension) for a report on the feasibility and fiscal impact of completing two police academy classes before the end of calendar 2027, one using FY27 and one FY28 funds. (The captions do not cover business under suspension; from the minutes.)
2026-10-06 - City Council — Morris A. Bergman's order (12x) to ensure two police academy classes are completed before the end of 2027, one funded from FY27 and one from FY28, was adopted with Khrystian E. King's added report on feasibility and fiscal impact. Bergman said patrol coverage can fall to four officers per district and the real goal is over 500 officers. Eric D. Batista said the city funds one class a year (22 graduated this year of about 30 funded), a class takes roughly seven months with background checks, contract talks with the patrolmen's unions are ongoing, and about 100 officers are retirement-eligible, with the '60 short' figure including injured-on-duty, military and other inactive officers. Joseph M. Petty said the aim was to avoid the multi-year hole the fire department fell into; King doubted feasibility and noted retirement numbers have been similar for years; Satya B. Mitra urged involving the CFO.
2026-09-29 - City Council — Police Chief Paul B. Saucier's traffic enforcement (8.13A), drone use (8.13B) and retirement anticipation (8.13C) communications were taken together (Kathleen M. Toomey recused and left the room) and referred to Public Safety. Saucier said the department has 478 officers against a goal of about 538, would like two academy classes a year of about 43 and a four-days-on, four-off schedule at that size, and that a shift has only about 34 officers before vacation and sick time; the traffic division is losing about five senior officers, so personal-injury crash response will probably be dropped; the next academy class (about January, around 40 in the first background round) takes roughly seven months; at least seven certified lateral transfers have joined; retirement figures reflect eligibility (32 years or age 55 with a maxed pension), not expected departures, and retirees cannot return to police work. Morris A. Bergman, Tony Economou, Satya B. Mitra and Joseph M. Petty urged more officers and grant funding; Thomas Duffy of the patrolman union said officers have had no contract for over a year, the force is down over 75, and hospital guard duty cost about 9,438 officer-hours across 819 prisoner trips in a year (89 over 24 hours). Adopted: Petty's report on recruiting and retaining officers and grant funding; Khrystian E. King's report on cadet program models (the old cadet program was disbanded over a year ago). The two-officers-per-car report (held 9/22) was adopted as amended with a cost analysis and evidence-based research.
2026-09-22 - City Council — Council action on the committee's report: 9g (two officers per patrol car report with cost estimate) held under privilege by King; 9h (update on lateral-transfer recruiting incentives) adopted 10-0 (Toomey recused). The Hospital Guard communication is tracked on Police Hospital Guard Duty.
2026-09-08 - Public Safety Committee - Staffing portion of the Chief's overview and two report orders. Saucier said the department is down about 70 to 75 officers; he favors two-officer cars, a second academy class each year, and redrawing the 20 patrol routes (unchanged about 50 years) from call data. Morris A. Bergman and Tony Economou pushed for a 500-officer plan in next year's budget. (Shares a video span with Police Hospital Guard Duty.)
2026-07-21 - City Council — Item 11d: Public Safety Chairman's order asking the Police Chief for a report on lateral-transfer recruiting incentives used by other cities and towns adopted; item 11e asks the City Auditor for an updated body-worn camera program analysis in two years.