NATCHEZ — The Natchez Police Department was one of several departments on the chopping block — at least briefly — during the Natchez Board of Aldermen’s 2011-2012 budget discussions recently.

The struggling economy and tight budget constraints have city officials looking to cut spending in several departments.

Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said the Natchez Police Department should not be one of them, despite comments made about cutting overtime and staff during an aldermen meeting.

Mullins said one of the most important things to consider when looking at police statistics was the general population of the jurisdiction.

The City of Natchez has a population of 15,766. Mullins said he was budgeted for 46 officers, and there are 44 officers currently on staff.

The starting salary for officers is $24,120. That salary increases with time and reaches $27,496 by year five and $31,900 at 30 years of service.

The low starting salary does make retention difficult, Mullins has said.

The staff size is, Mullins said is necessary, and, he said, it is on par with the number of officers recommended by law enforcement experts.

A Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District study done in 1999 recommended 2.8 officers for every 1,000 residents served. In Natchez, that recommendation would mean 44 officers.

And compared to other cities in the state, Natchez is where it needs to be, Mullins said.

The Grenada Police Department serves a town of approximately 15,000 in north Mississippi and has the same number of officers as the NPD.

Erby Montgomery, assistant police chief at the Grenada Police Department, said Grenada has 44 sworn officers. He said his department received 1,627 calls for service in August.

Natchez received 1,380 calls for service in August and 1,456 in July.

Montgomery said the salary of a patrol officer is $29,900, which is nearly $6,000 more than in Natchez.

Montgomery said he wouldn’t want to work with any fewer officers.

“We could always use more,” he said. “We’re getting the job done, but it would be nice to have more people.”

The City of Laurel — with a larger population than Natchez at 18,540 — has 59 officers and one opening.

The starting salary for patrol officers is $34,325.

Deputy Chief William Chandler said the department has a strong officer retention rate.

“We feel that we are adequately staffed, and we feel that our pay is competitive in this market. That has not always been the case,” he said.

In nearby McComb, the police department serves a smaller population than in Natchez at 12,900.

The department has fewer officers as well — 32.

Officers start at a $27,000 per year salary.

Police Chief Gregory Martin said that salary has increased from $21,000 over the last 10 years in response to a struggle with retaining officers.

McComb averaged 2,171 service calls per month in 2010.

Statistics from Oxford and Brookhaven — two other cities named in the Natchez Board of Aldermen meeting recently — could not be obtained last week.

Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton said he believes the size of the police staff is where it needs to be right now.

He said the new fiscal year’s budget — approved by the board last week — sets the number of officers at 44. The mayor said one officer is overseas, and will have his job when he returns. The other position will not be filled.

“Putting more officers on the street, in my opinion, is not going to curtail crime.”