CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Cedar Rapids Police Academy welcomed 13 new officers on Friday, marking a reversal in struggles to hire new officers.

The 13 police academy graduates will serve with departments in Cedar Rapids, Belle Plaine, Dubuque and Waterloo. Cedar Rapids is home to one of the state’s five regional training academies for officers .

The graduation comes as departments nationwide report struggles in hiring and retaining police officers. A survey from the International Association of Police Chiefs showed 70% of departments reported having a harder time hiring new officers with the Midwest seeing the most difficulties.

Cedar Rapids Police, however, say their staffing has turned around to where the department is now fully staffed, crediting an increase in starting pay to

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