GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Many Wisconsin police departments are struggling to hire and retain new officers, but the Green Bay Police Department has already hired more than 20 this year.
When it comes to finding enough qualified applicants to hire and train, Lt. Jody Buth tells FOX 11 the Green Bay Police Department is all too familiar with the struggle.
“I think it’s a combination of issues. Because the economy is doing very well right now a lot of people coming out of college or going into college are looking at career paths that pay more and have better hours.”
To attract more candidates, Buth said the department started offering higher pay, reaching out to military personnel, and reducing the time it takes for an officer to be sworn in.
“We also look at in this organization that everyone who works here is a recruiter. It’s just not my job to go out and figure out who can work here, we want to find people who will come here, be successful and have a 30-year career here.”
The department said its efforts have been successful so far, right now it has 181 officers, with only 14 open positions
“For 2019 because of our budget crunch, the City asked us to keep 14 positions open which we did,” said Lt. Buth. “But we still were able to hire 26 officers.”
The Green Bay Police Department is holding their last swearing-in ceremony for the year on Monday, for the additional four officers.
Buth said the goal is to have all positions filled by this time next year.
