Johnson City Police approved to hire more officers

The Johnson City Commission approved a staffing plan for the Johnson City Police Department that will increase the number of officers to 165 by the end of the current fiscal year. The department requested 11 additional officers to be added by the end of June 2024. The state ratio average for department staffing is 2.5 officers per 1,000 residents, with Johnson Cities population dictating 185 officers needed for the city. The state average number accounts for the estimated population per city. Johnson City police officials plan to ask for 10 more officers each fiscal year by 2026 to get to 185.