Pay Gaps and Turnover Strain Nogales Police Department

Officer Andrea Arellano relies on overtime to make ends meet in her hometown.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Officer Andrea Arellano, a field training officer with the Nogales Police Department, has left the department twice but returned, determined to stay in her hometown. She says she depends on overtime pay to cover her mortgage and other bills, living paycheck to paycheck without the extra hours.

Why it matters

The Nogales Police Department is facing challenges with pay gaps and high turnover, which can impact public safety and community trust in the local law enforcement agency.

The details

Arellano, who is the vice president of the Nogales Police Officer Association, says that without the overtime pay, she struggles to keep up with her bills. The pay issues and high turnover rates are straining the police department in the border city.

  • Arellano once swore she'd never be a cop, but a law enforcement class at Nogales High School drew her in.

The players

Andrea Arellano

A field training officer with the Nogales Police Department who has left the department twice but returned, determined to stay in her hometown.

Nogales Police Officer Association (NPOA)

The union representing officers in the Nogales Police Department.

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What they’re saying

“I own a house. If I don't work overtime, I struggle to keep up with my bills a little bit. It's pretty much living paycheck to paycheck if I don't work overtime.”

— Andrea Arellano, Field Training Officer, Vice President of Nogales Police Officer Association (Nogales International)

The takeaway

The pay gaps and high turnover rates in the Nogales Police Department highlight the challenges facing law enforcement agencies in retaining experienced officers, which can impact public safety and community trust.