The San Diego Police Department lost 119 officers last year alone — about 6 percent of the force.

Within the next four years, about half of the force will be eligible to retire. This poses a big challenge for the two men vying to become San Diego’s next mayor, Councilmen David Alvarez and Kevin Faulconer.

Both have campaigned on improving police retention, vowing to increase officer compensation to keep them from leaving to work for other law enforcement agencies.

NBC 7’s Catherine Garcia and Voice of San Diego’s Lisa Halverstadt explain what tempting offers are coming out of nearby agencies, and what the SDPD is up against in this week’s San Diego Explained.

Catherine Green

Catherine Green was formerly the deputy editor at Voice of San Diego. She handled daily operations while helping to plan new long-term projects.

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