Police vacancies still prevalent across the Triangle

• The Raleigh Police Department currently has 58 positions vacant out of a total of 792, around 7% of its force, Lt. Jason Borneo told Axios.

What they're saying: "We're in an arms race with all the surrounding municipalities" over police pay, Cowell told Axios on Election night, noting places like Cary and Garner are quick to hire officers whom Raleigh trains.

• Raleigh City Council member Jonathan Melton said that the problem is compounded by the fact that the staffing issues come as the city's population continues to grow quickly.
• Cowell said she plans to address the topic in the city's next budget. Last year's budget gave police officers a 5% pay bump.

The big picture: The issue is not unique to Raleigh. Police forces nationwide are struggling to get enough recruits to fill vacancies.

Zoom in: The Durham Police Department, for instance, has struggled to hire as well, with nearly 30% of its positions sitting empty, according to INDY Week.

• In response, its last budget gave police officers raises that could go up to 22% in some cases.
• More than a third of jobs at Durham's Emergency Communications Department also remain unfilled, according to INDY Week.