Budget cuts are forcing the Des Moines Police Department to delay this year’s police academy — indefinitely. Officials say the department typically starts the application process in November and the academy begins in July. Currently, the entire process in on hold, with no word on when it might begin.

Police spokesman Sgt. Vince Valdez says that puts the department, which is already suffering from a shortage of officers, in a deeper hole. “We’re short right now. We should obviously have more people. But a lot of that has to do with people retiring, moving to other jobs. There’s a host of things that keep that number down. We’d like to get way up. But that’s hard to do,” says Valdez.

Budget cuts have delayed the academy in the past, as well.
You can read the article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28521881/

This might not be the only Police Academy that is effected. Many police academies have reported that their budgets have been effected with the economic situation. Many counties and cities have been forced to cut budgets, and since the training is the least seen item in the public eye, many Police Academies are nervous about being able to provide adequate training on greatly reduced budgets.