The City of Pine Bluff recently approved its 2024 budget and Police Chief Denise Richardson was asked if her department budget was cut for next year.
DShe said the department currently has 70 sworn officers and five part-time officers who don’t work every day. The department is authorized 116 officers. Several years ago, there were 150 officers authorized, and that number was reduced to 130, and is now 116 with reductions made to increase the salaries of officers.
She went on to say this.
Richardson said some officers have gone other places because they won’t have to answer as many calls as they would in Pine Bluff and get paid more.
