Why Hartford police seek to add 50 additional officers, part of proposed $2M budget increase

The Hartford Police Department is on a hiring spree its chief says will drive a budget increase, but attracting enough officers and recruits has been difficult.

“It really is about recruiting and retaining diverse police officers,” Police Chief Jason Thody said at a recent budget presentation. “And replenishing our ranks in the department, to get back to a place where we can operate with lower overtime, less holdovers, and really operate the way we should operate with adequate staffing.”

The department...