While it's not unusual for local employers to find it challenging to find qualified applicants to fill open positions, it's even more complicated when you are seeking to fill vacancies in the Rhinelander police or fire departments, the chiefs of both departments told the city's Police and Fire Commission (PFC) Nov. 7.
Under state statutes, PFC is vested with the authority to hire, discipline or terminate members of both departments.
Rhinelander Police Chief Lloyd Gauthier recently had to fill two vacancies in his ranks, and found the number of applicants was less than expected. He told the commission that he has since learned the Minocqua Police Department and the Oneida County Sheriff's Department recently experienced the same thing.