Shorthanded New Hampton Police Department May be Close to Hiring Officer

There could be some light at the end of the tunnel for the shorthanded New Hampton Police Department.

As of last Friday, NHPD is down two officers with the departure of an officer to join the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office. The department had already been down one officer since June, when that officer joined the Charles City Police force. 

NHPD Chief Zach Nosbisch says their situation could be set to improve, noting that three applicants completed testing last week with one candidate scheduled for an interview this week. If things progress, there could be at least one new officer within the next month.

Until they’re back to full capacity, Nosbish says their current staff of four, which includes him, will continue to cover the shifts as needed. He also commends their efforts over the past few months.

In the meantime, the City continues to explore upping the pay for its police officers after learning that NHPD officers, on average, are being paid $2 to $3 less per hour than neighboring departments.