Fewer apply but quality still high in police hires, new Garner chief says
Several local law enforcement agencies say the number of applicants for jobs in general is down, but they're still filling vacancies with qualified applicants.
Never before in the United States' history have police officers’ actions been watched and documented so closely by the public, especially through cellphones. Recruiters said anxiety over this means fewer people are applying for these jobs, but agencies like Garner Police Department said while it's still challenging -- they're still hiring.
The department has filled 10 vacancies in 2020 and has three or four more to go.
When 24-year-old Abigail Cruz told her family she was going to become a Garner police officer, she said they thought she was crazy.
"They just didn't like them, at all," explained Cruz. "I had relative tell me, 'If you a become an officer, I'm not going to talk to you anymore.'"
But Cruz turned them around.
"Ever since I become an officer, they've changed their whole perspective on police," she said.
"People that have that public service, that desire to serve the public good ... those folks are out there," said Joe Binns, Garner's new police chief.
Binns was appointed chief of police on Oct. 12, after serving as the department's interim chief for the past year. He has over 27 years of law enforcement experience in Garner. He said they are filling more vacancies this year than in past years, but their applicant pool is down by 49%.
Still, he said they've found qualified candidates, like Cruz.
"A big part of that is building relationships with your community and being there to protect and serve your community. That's resonates with a lot of young people," Cruz said.
Sgt. Kevan Anderson is in charge of recruiting for Garner Police Department. He said in an open position where they used to get 70 to 80 applicants, they now only get around 50 applicants.
"We've see a steady decrease in our recruitment numbers," said Anderson. "The climate of today and the scrutiny of police officers, and law enforcement in general, it's not a desirable position like it once was."
But for some officers like Cruz, behind the seat of a patrol car is exactly where she wants to be.
"[It's] something different every day. I still haven't changed my mind about being an officer. I like it," she said.
Not every agency in Wake County has dealt with a deficit in applicants.
The Wake County Sheriff's Office had 260 applicants in both 2018 and 2019. So far, in 2020, they've had 410 applicants -- a 50% increase from years past. Officials contributed the increase to aggressive recruiting.
In Durham, the police academy had 661 applicants between October 2019 and May 2020, that's an increase of about 50% over the 431 applicants between May and October of 2019.
The Raleigh Police Department had 342 applicants in 2019. As of Oct. 16 of 2020, the department has had 404 applicants -- just under a 25% increase from last year. In October of 2020, the department had 61 vacancies, while the year prior it had 56 vacancies. To date, RPD has hired 59 people. In 2019, it hired 50 people for the entire year.
