Arradondo said his five-year plan to reach that number is critical because the city is growing and his department has a consistent challenge filling open spots due to retirement.

"We lose approximately 40-plus officers to attrition each year," said Arradondo. "We are just understaffed and we have been for many decades."

KSTP talked with Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he supports Chief Arradondo's mission to hire more officers, but stopped short of citing a specific number or year to accomplish that goal.

"If you look at all the data, this is something we need and I wholeheartedly support the Chief on this," said Frey. "But, I am not yet ready to give you a number on what the total number of officers needs to be and I cannot give you the year by which it needs to happen."

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