Demand for qualified staff in law enforcement agencies across the country is being keenly felt, and the shortage is being felt in the U.P. The Ashland County Dispatch Center normally has seven full time workers and right now they’re short a dispatcher. In 2022, the dispatch center only had four dispatchers on staff, half of what they need to meet call demand. 9News reports 78 percent of police organizations across the nation indicated they had a hard time filling positions in 2022. Ashland County Sheriff Brian Zupke said he thinks the job isn’t as attractive anymore. He says low pay and stressful situations make if difficult to find workers. Zupke says combining the Ashland and Bayfield dispatch centers would go a long way to solving the current staffing issues.