The Scottsbluff City Council has loosened residency requirements for officers with the Scottsbluff Police Department.
During Monday’s meeting, the council unanimously approved a change in ordinance to allow officers to reside within 30 miles of city limits and within a 45 minute response time to the Public Safety Building.
Police Chief Kevin Spencer says by expanding the radius, they’ll be able to have a more fully staffed patrol unit. He adds that similar sized cities in Nebraska have comparable residency requirements.
Spencer says a recent applicant checks all the boxes, but lives on his family homestead in Banner County, and by changing the ordinance they will be able to hire him.
