CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Police recruitment nationwide has taken a bit of a hit. Now, it’s more difficult than ever to have a full staff on board to be able to respond to the community when they may need it at that moment.
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, these are some of the numbers that provide the evidence to support what departments in the United States are going through.
- 78% of agencies are having trouble finding qualified candidates
- 65% of agencies say there aren’t enough candidates applying
- 25% say they’ve had to change around staffing or get rid of certain services
- 75% say recruiting is more difficult now than it was five years ago
- 50% say they are changing criteria around so that there are more qualified candidates
In Erie County, it’s numbers like these that are causing them to react accordingly. On Monday, the County Sheriff’s Department held a recruitment event in Cheektowaga for potential candidates who may want to talk to people in the following departments:
- SWAT Team
- Bomb Squad
- K9 Unit
- Marine Unit
- Aviation Unit
- Road Patrol
In terms of the qualifications, applicants must have a high school degree or something that’s equivalent.
Once they clear that, then they must either have 60 credits from an accredited or registered college/university in New York State or the region, or 30 credits with one year of military service by the time you’re appointed.
The annual salary can range anywhere from $61,252 - $75,949.
