By Jessica Coates
jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Salisbury Police Department still has 12 vacancies, but Chief Jerry Stokes says it should be fully staffed by March.

Twelve vacancies may sound bad, he told City Council on Tuesday, “but we’re really working hard towards getting out of that.”

Stokes said the vacancies are due in part to the retirement of four officers in December and one officer this month. He said he had anticipated the retirements and had told council about them in previous meetings.

In addition to the 12 vacancies, the department also has 13 non-operational personnel openings. Four of those openings are because officers are on medical leave or completing military service. Nine are because soon-to-be officers are completing field training.

Over time, Stokes said, those nine people would become “boots on the ground people that are answering calls by themselves.”

Stokes said that he doesn’t see the 12 vacancies as “an issue.” He said that nine more people are set to begin basic law enforcement training around Feb. 1.

Stokes said that the department also has at least two other job offers pending with candidates who already have law enforcement certification.

Contact reporter Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.