Post Falls Police face staffing crunch amid city's growth
Ryan Dalke checks the laptop in his vehicle at the Post Falls Police station.
Law enforcement in Post Falls are one of several agencies in the area facing staffing and recruitment challenges. Working with the City of Post Falls has helped make wages more competitive for the department, but the time it takes to train new recruits has still left the department on longer shifts until trainees are ready to work on their own.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
Post Falls Police Sgt. Ryan Dalke tests the lights on his police vehicle. Staffing the department proportionate to the growing population of Post Falls has been an issue over the last few years, with the lowest staffing count occurring six months ago.
Sgt. Ryan Dalke checks the gear in his police vehicle Thursday at Post Falls Police Department.
POST FALLS — As the city's population swells, the Post Falls Police Department grapples with a severe staffing shortage, forcing officers into grueling 12-hour shifts with no overlap.
Officer Ryan Dalke, who juggles multiple roles within the department, has witnessed the strain firsthand. "It's been kind of a downhill slide in the past few years," he said. "Six months ago, we had fewer employees than when I was hired in 2018. With how much the city is growing, it was a shrinking department. Our calls for service were increasing, but we have fewer people to handle them."
The department's lowest point saw a shortage of 13 officers — about 30% of its sworn force. In response, the Post Falls City Council approved hourly wage increases of up to $6 in December 2023, bringing entry-level pay to $30.60 per hour.
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