By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally says the police force needs more officer candidates and he is taking a direct approach to recruit officers.
Connally is carrying a business card soliciting candidates that he passes out during public gatherings even as he delivers a message to those he gives it to.
“Give that card to somebody that you know would be a good police officer, somebody that you would be proud to have come up to your door if you had an issue and help you with it,” Connally tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Ask them to consider contacting us.”
Connally says those interested will be introduced to the department and might even be given a ride-along with a police officer to gauge their interest.
Though Connally is soliciting public input on potential candidates, he does have an ideal candidate profile in mind.
“We need to look for people that have the cognitive skills, emotional skills, the social skills, the moral fabric or makeup; those are all important,” according to Connally.
The St. Joseph Police Department has 11 vacancies. Connally says that likely will grow to as many as 14 with pending retirements.
The St. Joseph Police Department has 138 commissioned officers.
Connally says the department is having difficulty both with recruiting and retaining officers and he blames the problem, in large part, on how the media portrays police shootings.
“They don’t portray the 60 million calls for service a year across the country. We actually have very few of those events (police shootings). Some of those events are unacceptable, absolutely,” Connally says. “It’s never good to paint any group of people with a broad brush.”
Connally says as the department seeks officer candidates, there are no age restrictions as some might assume.
“We’ve hired younger folks. We’ve hired older folks. All have been successful, “Connally says. “We’ve had some people who have had a career in something and just said, hey, I’ve felt it’s my calling to become a police officer.”