SJPD works to fill remaining staff vacancies
By Jenna Wilson
The St. Joseph Police Department has made progress with its recruiting efforts amid a nationwide shortage, but local officers are still hoping to fill remaining vacancies with new hire testing next week.
The department has made some strides in its staffing, but it still has 18 vacancies to fill as soon as possible.
Officers patrol city streets and perform a wide variety of safety and emergency response roles, so recruits will be put to the test to make sure they are suitable for the job.
On Wednesday, Aug. 28, those who think they are interested in joining the department will complete a written and physical agility exam, which is free of charge.
“Once we have everybody come to those, we start the background process,” said Ethan Miles, SJPD recruitment officer. “Which can typically take, anywhere from a month to two months to be completed. In that time frame, you are looking at doing a psych evaluation, a polygraph and a panel interview.”
Once all examinations are passed, recruits will receive a conditional offer prior to attending the police academy, which is fully covered by the SJPD. Also, officers will earn a starting salary of over $36,000 during the six months of the academy.
Police want to ensure they can continue responding to emergency calls as efficiently as possible, which can be difficult without proper staffing.
“Even just one person missing out of our functioning group causes a lot of chaos and makes things harder on everybody that’s working a shift,” Miles said. “When you have 18 that you’re missing, obviously there’s a giant gap there so we just want to make sure that we’re getting the right quality people to fill those positions.”
Miles said the St. Joseph Police Department provides many benefits and opportunities to its staff, including prioritizing mental health and getting officers to their required divisions.
SJPD new hire testing will take place 8 a.m. Wednesday at 501 Faraon St. for individuals 20 and older. Applicants are encouraged to fill out an application prior to the test on Wednesday.
