New Castle County plans to “overhire” police officers

(File/WHYY)

(File/WHYY)

More officers could soon be keeping the peace in Delaware’s most populous county.

 

The News Journal of Wilmington reports the County Council on Tuesday approved adding 20 more officers to the department — taking county’s police force to 420.

Police Chief Elmer Setting says the move is an intentional “overhire” to bring staffing levels closer to 400 while offsetting pending retirements.

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Setting says the department is currently down to fewer than 380 officers with 56 of them eligible to retire.

He says not all 420 officers will be working the street, and that the increase is meant to be temporary to allow for more new recruits.

The move comes nearly a year after the department increased its force by 15.

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