CC WS PACKET 08082023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM DATE:May 31, 2023 TO:Chief Jon Mangseth FROM:Captain Jeff Spiess SUBJECT:Officer Recruitment PROJECT: Formation of Police Cadet Program The mission of the St. Anthony Police Department is “To improve the overall quality of life by preserving the peace and safety of the community.” We know that the state of officer recruitment has been very difficult, often referred to as a “crisis.” Even five years ago, police departments, including the SAPD, had the luxury of having multiple qualified candidates respond to a job posting for an open position. Unfortunately, the most recent and current job posting has yielded zero applicants. With the department currently short two officers, the anticipated resignation of another officer in mid-2023, three likely retirements in 2024, and the anticipated addition of two vital positions, the department must proactively work to find new police officers to fill these vacancies if a peaceful and safe community is to be maintained. Background The SAPD is currently authorized for 20 full time police officers and 1 full time Community Service Officer (CSO). The CSO assists in a variety of tasks that do not require the attention of a licensed police officer, which includes traffic direction, transports, parking complaints, animal complaints, vacation home checks, data entry, front office tasks, shuttling squads for repair, and equipment repair. The CSO is not necessarily a law enforcement student, the tenure of the position is often more than two years, and there is no commitment to employ the CSO as a full time officer if they complete law enforcement school. Additionally, the CSO is tasked with responsibilities that are unique and require a significant learning curve to accomplish and often do not overlap with the responsibilities of a police officer. As such, it is not a practical standalone avenue to attract potential police officers for current and anticipated vacancies.