DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County Police Department had a retention rate of more than 90% from 2025 to 2026.
Retention is a measure of a department’s employee turnover over a period of time.
The number of sworn police officers on staff also grew by 9%. In 2025, the DeKalb Police Department had about 530 officers and now has about 620. The county budget includes funding for about 850 officers.
Police Chief Greg Padrick attributed the high retention and recruitment levels to efforts to increased salaries and benefits within the police department.
“There was a huge push and commitment by [CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson] toward recruitment and retention,” Padrick said.
Last year, Cochran-Johnson shared plans to retain and recruit officers for the understaffed police department. Overall, the county invested about $10 million in the recruitment efforts.
High attrition rates and a lack of competitive compensation meant the county was losing officers to other jurisdictions and struggled to attract recruits.
“Officers deserve the resources, pay and support to serve effectively and safely,” Cochran-Johnson previously said. “Without meaningful action, we risk further vacancies, increased crime rates and lower public confidence in our ability to protect and serve.”
Pay increases made DeKalb County officers among the highest-paid officers in the metro area. These salary adjustments went into effect in March 2025:
– Police Recruits: Base salary increased to $61,000 ($64,050 with a degree)
– Police Officers: Base salary increased to $62,525 ($65,651 with a degree)
– Police Officer Senior: New base salary of $70,000 ($73,500 with a degree)
– Master Police Officers, Helicopter Pilots, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors will receive a 7.1% salary increase
Recruitment efforts continue with hiring events and officers spreading the word.
Another academy class begins in a couple of weeks with more than 20 recruits.
The current academy class began with 38, but is down to 34. Padrick said the group is one of the largest the department has had in recent years.
“We’ve invested a lot in our recruiting campaigns. We’ve really focused on our recruiting staff and processing background applications, and just really getting out there to do the hiring push,” Padrick said. “DeKalb Police is an attractive place to work, not just based on salary and benefits, but based on the environment of the police department.”
He added that the department is focused on a drive to serve and to work as a team.
“If that’s something that drives you, you get to do it in a team concept, but you get to feel like you’re making a difference,” Padrick said.
Reduced crime
During a town hall on May 27 with the Cochran-Johnson and other staff members, Assistant Police Chief Tony Hughes noted that crime statistics are down, largely due to increased staffing.
Crimes against persons are down 16 percent, and crimes against property are down 25%.
“That’s a great accomplishment to have double-digit decreases in those areas, and a lot of that is due to increased staffing,” Hughes said. “A lot of crime is deterred merely by officer presence.”
He agreed that the increased compensation packages have helped attract more staff.
“We’re seeing officers from other departments coming over and working for our department,” Hughes said. “We’re seeing officers returning to our department, and that’s largely due to the compensation packages that officers are now seeing.”
The county opened a real-time crime center in December 2025, which has helped reduce crime rates, officials said. The real-time crime center is used to track data. Padrick previously said the initiative adds more license plate reader cameras, pan-tilt cameras, three mobile security trailers, Flock 911 and four drones.
“We have been intentional in strategically placing drones and technology,” Cochran-Johnson said at the May 27 town hall. “It’s my intent that when we receive a call, I’d like to have us to a point where we’re never more than three minutes away.”
Additionally, the police department has launched a street takeover initiative to combat street racing incidents and uses intelligence information to get ahead of potential takeovers.
“As a result of our task force, we’ve had over 200 citations, over 41 arrests and we’ve impounded over 11 vehicles,” Hughes said. “So, we’re making an impact.”
Cochran-Johnson said the county is sending a message.
“If you commit a crime now in DeKalb County, we’re on you quickly,” she said.
This story was provided by WABE media partner Decaturish.
