Police Chief Paul Neudigate asks city leadership for additional funding, citing 86 job positions short of full staff, and challenges with mental health calls.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The head of the Virginia Beach Police Department is asking city leaders for additional funding, saying officers are being pulled off the streets for hours — and sometimes days — to handle mental health-related calls.
Police Chief Paul Neudigate told city leadership this week that staffing shortages have worsened, with department vacancies rising from 45 last year to 86 currently after significant turnover.
Neudigate said one of the biggest strains on officers involves responding to mental health crises. While specialized response teams exist, officers are still responsible when cases result in a temporary detention order or emergency custody order.
“Our system here in the Commonwealth… I won’t say it’s completely broken, but it is dysfunctional,” Neudigate said.
In those situations, officers often remain with individuals in crisis until they are evaluated and a suitable treatment facility is found. A lack of available mental health beds in Virginia means officers frequently must transport individuals long distances — sometimes four to seven hours away — and then make the return trip.
Neudigate said those assignments can take officers off duty for up to 48 hours for a single case.
“Babysitting individuals, until they’re seen, and then a suitable facility is located,” he explained.
To address the issue, Neudigate is requesting about $485,000 to fund six non-sworn “special conservator” positions dedicated to handling these cases. The goal, he said, is to free sworn officers to focus on patrol duties, investigations, and emergency response.
“That is one of the top concerns that our officers complain about: the amount of time dedicated to these types of calls,” Neudigate said. “So you talk about a boost for morale, if we can make this happen, I think that’s what you’re going to see.”
City council members raised questions about how the new roles would function, including whether the non-sworn positions would carry firearms. Neudigate said the program is still in development, and operational details have not been finalized.
He said the proposed changes could improve response times and ensure officers are available for urgent situations.
“911 response, traffic enforcement, case investigation, instead of sitting in someone else’s city four hours away,” Neudigate said.
The chief said he hopes city leaders will approve the funding request as part of upcoming budget decisions.