After Portsmouth’s soul crushing residential property tax increase for 2025, the new buzz word on the Portsmouth City Council is “efficiency”. From the chart below (see link below and page 17), one area that can use some “efficiency” is staffing at the Police Department.
New Hampshire’s largest city Manchester functions with 2.38 officers per 1,000 residents and Concord does the same with 2.03 officers per 1,000 residents, which is the New Hampshire city and town average.
Consistent with Portsmouth’s big spending reputation, the virtually crime free streets of Portsmouth somehow require the most police officers per capita in the state, at 3.12 officers per thousand. This is 33% more than the state average.
So, if Portsmouth PD was staffed in portion to Manchester, it would have 55 officers. If staffed like Concord and the NH state average, 46 officers. Instead, Portsmouth has 68 full-time officers, and 34 part-time officers.
Perhaps the new police station can be designed with these staffing realities in mind, and who knows, maybe the existing police station would be adequate if staffed in proportion to the City’s actual needs.
Image source: page 17 FY 25 Dover Police Department Budget Presentation
