By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Graduation ceremonies are set for tonight at the Law Enforcement Academy on the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph.
Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says it appears all 19 graduates have jobs, six of whom will be sworn in after the ceremonies to serve on his staff.
“So, we’re going to be rolling out a lot of new officers and that’s going to be really helpful,” Puett tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “But staffing is still really, really in need. I know that everybody’s struggling trying to get good candidates in. We keep, hopefully, moving in the right direction.”
Puett says three of the graduates will go to the St. Joseph Police Department. One graduate is trying to decide whether to take a position with law enforcement or return to the military.
Puett says all three of the law enforcement agencies in St. Joseph lend a hand in instruction at the academy even as they search for quality candidates to fill roster needs.
“I’m still involved out there and try to help where I can,” Puett says, adding that he has staff members who help with instruction. The St. Joseph Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol also have staff members who teach some classes or help with instruction in some way.
Puett says once the six going to work from him are sworn in after the graduation ceremony, they will immediately begin training as Buchanan County Sheriff Department officers.
“We’ll have six more to get in-the-field training,” Puett says.
Puett says he needs personnel for several various positions in his department, including as deputies, investigators, and jailers.
The St. Joseph Police Department also will have vacancies even after hiring graduates from the academy.
You can follow Brent on X (formerly Twitter) @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.