Pueblo Police Department short 31 patrol officers

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo Police Department normally has 110 officers working on the patrol division, but as of Tuesday, only 79 officers are able to get in a patrol car.

Pueblo Police Chief Steven Noeller said some of the patrol officers are injured and will return, but he acknowledged the department is currently experiencing a staffing shortage.

"It makes it more difficult for us to respond in the time that we want to and give our citizens the service that they deserve," Noeller said.

Pueblo Police officers are having to prioritize high-level calls like shootings, serious car accidents, and domestic violence issues.

"We have been able to maintain those quick response times with these types of calls despite the manpower issues," Noeller said. "However, the lower level priority calls end up waiting longer for an officer to arrive."

A lateral transfer program was approved in August that would allow Pueblo PD to garner transfers from other police departments. Since then, they've had 13 lateral transfer applicants.

"We hope that we will be able to hire a number of the lateral transfers. This will allow us to do a shortened academy, and get them out in the field very quickly," Noeller said.

Noeller says a staff shortage could be linked to a sentiment that few people want to be a cop today, thus leading to staff shortages for police departments across the country.

"It's a worry as chief of police that you are constantly thinking of. I am sure my predecessors, prior to the current environment, worried about the number of applicants that they would be able to bring in." Noeller said.

Noeller says Pueblo PD is committed to giving the people of Pueblo a high level of service.

"The citizens in this community are valuable to us. We are committed to being where we need to be as soon as we can be there."