Over a dozen officers are leaving the Arlington County Police Department under a new program incentivizing county employees to retire.
The Voluntary Retirement Incentive program, included in the newly adopted Fiscal Year 2026 budget, encourages retirement for late-career county employees. So far, 32 employees have opted into the program, which is billed as a money-saving strategy.
A total of 15 of these employees are police officers — adding to a staffing shortage that ACPD has been trying to fix for years.
ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage told ARLnow that the change has mostly influenced officers who were already planning to retire.
“Their departures began as early as December 2024 and will continue through May 2025,” she said. “A large percentage of the officers accepting the Voluntary Retirement Incentive were likely to depart from the agency in 2025.”
Another 44 total employees in the county’s Deferred Retirement Option Program have taken a new “early out” incentive.
The two programs — available to longtime staff and staff who previously had plans to retire after July 1 — are expected to save the county about $750,000, according to the FY 2026 budget.
“The incentive was offered to all eligible County staff who met these qualifications,” county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow. “By holding some of these positions vacant through the first quarter of FY 2026, we anticipate budget savings.”
ACPD, like many police departments across the country, has been struggling to boost its staffing for several years. However, Chief Andy Penn said in a recent budget presentation that new recruitment efforts have begun to yield some results.
ACPD received a total of 2,218 job applications in 2024, up 80% from the previous calendar year. The agency hired 47 people in 2024 and lost 43 to retirements and resignations.
This was the first time in five years that the agency hired more people than it lost, Penn said.
Nevertheless, the agency remains well below its authorized strength of 377 sworn police officers. As of this month, ACPD only as 261 “functional and certified” officers.
This number doesn’t include officers who are in training or on light duty.
“Police staffing has been, and continues to be, a significant challenge facing our agency and the law enforcement profession,” Savage said.
One way the police department is dealing with the short staffing is through overtime. Of the 57 Arlington County employees making more than $250,000 in total annual pay during the 2024 fiscal year, according to a recent FOIA response to a local resident that they shared with ARLnow, 16 were police department employees who earned overtime pay.
In a few instances, the overtime exceeded the employee’s base pay.
County leaders have been hoping to find a more sustainable path to fixing public safety staffing issues through better base pay.
Arlington County police officers are expecting a 9% pay increase in the new fiscal year, significantly higher than the 3.5% raise that most county staff are anticipating. ACPD also offers a sign-on bonus of up to $25,000.
“The success of our agency is a direct reflection of our exceptionally dedicated and professional personnel who work each day to make a positive difference in the lives of those who live, work and visit Arlington,” Savage said. “ACPD remains committed to best serving those who serve Arlington by investing in their training, career development and their wellness and safety.”
This article has been updated to reflect that the DROP Early Exit Incentive was available only to staff who previously had plans to retire after July 1.
