Maricopa Police Department is on the lookout for good men and women.

The department is actively seeking both lateral transfers and new recruits to join its ranks, according to a social media post yesterday. MPD did not specify how many officers it hopes to bring on board, but last year’s annual report showed eight recruits and two lateral hires joined the force in 2024.

A spokesperson said the agency is “proud to be fully staffed” and positioned to meet the needs of a growing city.

“While many agencies across the state and country are struggling with staffing shortages, we’ve taken a proactive approach to recruitment and planning,” said MPD spokesperson Monica Williams.

Because it can take nearly a year for a recruit to complete training and work solo, the department keeps recruitment windows open year-round.

“Right now, we have an active recruitment underway to build an eligibility list, so we’re prepared to fill future positions as they become available, whether through retirements or other transitions,” Williams said.

The city’s approach stands in contrast to the challenges facing larger agencies. In Phoenix, recently released budget records show the police department spent $98 million on overtime last fiscal year, largely because it is short about 500 officers. In Tucson, staffing has slipped back to levels last seen in 1989 even though the city has added roughly 150,000 more residents, forcing some 911 callers to wait hours for a response.

At the state level, the Department of Public Safety was down about 500 troopers last year, leaving 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties without overnight highway patrols.

Maricopa’s own data has trended more favorably. According to Chief Mark Goodman’s annual report, per-capita crime in the city fell 1% from 2023 to 2024. Violent crime dropped 9%, burglary decreased 10% and motor-vehicle thefts were down 29%, even as state police report that statewide totals rose 5% in the same period.