Metro Neb. police department suffering shortage

Regional News

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) _ The Bellevue Police Department is hoping to hire a few good men and women as it suffers through a shortage of more than a dozen officers. The city, just south of Omaha, is currently 13 officers below its authorized strength. Police Capt. Herb Evers says the city needs cops on the street _ especially after recently annexing 12 neighborhoods. But officials fear there aren't enough qualified people for the job. Recently, 120 people applied to be Bellevue police officers. Evers says 47 made the first cut, and that was pared to 10. Evers the process of filling positions takes time. He says it could be three years before the department is at full force.