MINERSVILLE, Pa. — Small police departments across the state are running out of officers to patrol the streets.
Minersville Borough Police Chief Michael Combs said some have been discouraged.
"Most of your officers, the overwhelming majority, are good people just out there trying to do his or her job in a very difficult environment," he said. "I think some of them are saying to themselves right now, 'is it worth it?'"
With fewer officers, it's becoming more and more difficult to find coverage.
"We run a 24/7 police department, so there's someone on duty all the time," Combs said.
The Minersville Police Department still has coverage on every shift, but many of those shifts are now being covered by part-timers.
Chief Combs said that pool is dwindling.
"Police officers are leaving this field in droves in many places. So there's a lot of full-time openings," he said. "So most part-time officers are looking for full-time positions, so we hire them, we train them, and when they are trained, then they are able to go and get a full-time position somewhere."
Combs understands it's a difficult job; each officer must attend a police academy and complete rigorous training to prepare them for public service.
Combs said officers are scrutinized like never before and believes, for many, the payoff isn't enough.
"What you could get paid in a private-sector job, in most cases, is going to be higher than what you are going to make as a police officer, and you don't have to get spit at, punched, shot at, and deal with hostile situations all the time," he remarked.
Combs said it's a big responsibility, but it's one he and his officers take on with pride and will continue to.
"You take the police out of the picture, it's not going to be good," he said. "It can only get bad."
