It seems like every year, Nashua ranks highly on several lists of Safest Cities in America. WalletHub named the Gate City as the 11th safest in the United States in 2026. That means we must be doing something right and have a pretty decent police department in protecting a population of about 92,000 residents.
However, like most law enforcement agencies across the country, recruitment and retention are down, and this is challenging for the profession.
Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke believes in playing the long game by investing in his officers, which means only hiring superbly qualified applicants and offering them competitive wages. According to PoliceApp.com, a centralized online recruiting platform, the Nashua Police Department currently has 182 officers on the force.
“We get a lot of certified applications,” Rourke says. “And over 50% of the applications we turn away. We have a tough standard to get hired here, whether you’re certified or not. That’s probably why the Nashua Police Department is down 15 officers right now.”
Rourke, a Lowell, Massachusetts, native, has been with the Nashua PD for 27 years now, saying that “We hire good people, and we make them great officers. I’m very proud of the work we do here. … But we have to pay them a good salary, fair and be consistent because of what other police agencies are doing.”
He says Laconia offers the highest pay to police officers in the Granite State, and smaller communities such as Hudson and Concord have also increased their salaries to maintain an edge. According to the Laconia PD website, the starting patrol officer salary range is $67,017-$101,759.
Currently in Nashua, these are the numbers:
First year officer: $63,611; second year officer: $78,022; patrolman (three years): $87,718; master patrolman (seven years): $93,270; master patrolman II (12 years): $95,618.
Rourke is hoping the full Board of Aldermen approves the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Police Commissioners and the Police Patrolman’s Association for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030. The Budget Review Committee has recommended final passage. The aldermen will vote on this at their April 14 meeting.
The four-year contract would include a 4% raise in the first year, a 4% raise in the second year, a 3.5% raise in the third year, and a 3.5% raise in the fourth year.
Committee member and Ward 8 Alderman Derek Thibeault stands strongly behind NPD, saying “The more we can keep good officers here and keep the citizens safe, that’s important, so I fully support the resolution.”
Nashua is a very active community, which keeps the police on their toes.
Here are some 2025 year-end statistics from the Nashua Police Department:
- Calls for service 82,363
- Reports 8,263
- Arrests 3,406
- Accidents 3,314
- Traffic stops 20,176
One only needs to look at the active shooting incident at Sky Meadow Country Club on Sept. 20, when a lone gunman terrorized the community, killing one and wounding two others inside the facility’s restaurant and while a wedding reception was being held. It was a chaotic scene, and one that Rourke says some police agencies can fail at during these kinds of violent crimes.
“But that night, Nashua Police performed flawlessly because they were well-trained and had the courage,” Rourke explained. “Down in Florida, there was a shooting at a school inside the classroom, and they stood outside the classroom. Well, the men and women of Nashua went right into the restaurant and into the event that night.
“The people we hire are on a different level.”
Indeed, they are.