NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is sounding the alarm about a shortage of police officers in both Norfolk and Portsmouth, as they lead the state for most vacancies.
A spokesman with Norfolk Police Department confirmed their department is looking for approximately 200 police officers to join their force. A spokeswoman with Portsmouth Police said they are looking for a little less than 100 police officers.
According to Miyares, the vacancy rate for both police departments hovers at around 38%
"The vacancy rates are really pushing the Norfolk and Portsmouth Police Department, I think to the breaking point," said Miyares.
As a part of National Police Week, Miyares wanted to highlight the critical need for more officers in these cities but also around the entire state.
He said there are multiple reasons why there might be a shortage of police officers, but one of those reasons is because of how Commonwealth Attorneys prosecute in the courtroom.
"A lot of officers get frustrated in localities where they feel the prosecutors don't take their jobs seriously and treat their jobs more as a social worker than actually being a prosecutor," said Miyares.
13News Now reached out to both Norfolk's and Portsmouth's Commonwealth Attorneys. Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk's Commonwealth Attorney, disagreed with Miyares.
"There has been a staffing shortage nationally for police officers in both red jurisdictions and blue jurisdictions," said Fatehi. "To talk about that in the same terms that the Attorney General indicates just shows that he doesn't understand the problem at all."
Portsmouth's Commonwealth Attorney, Stephanie Morales, did not respond to comment.
Miyares said he plans to address the lack of police officers with funding provided by Governor Glenn Youngkin's "Operation Bold Blue Line," approximately $20 million set aside to help Virginia's police officers fight crime and improve their hiring numbers.
Staff with Norfolk and Portsmouth's Police Departments said they are looking for several police officers to join their departments, offering a variety of different training to those interested in making a positive impact in their communities.