Indiana State Police eye local officers

[Piggy]

Recruitment plan aims to fill open spots, cut costs of training
By Vic Ryckaert
vic.ryckaert@indystar.com
January 29, 2006


Hoosier police officers and sheriff's deputies soon will be hearing from the Indiana State Police.
In the latest step to fill more than 200 open trooper positions, the State Police are embarking on a "lateral re-cruitment" campaign this summer to sign up any certified Indiana law enforcement officer.
Last month, the agency announced it would lower the education bar to accept candidates with a high school diploma.
In an effort to be Indiana's most prestigious law enforcement agency, the State Police had required either 60 credit hours of college or previous police or military experience.
That requirement has set the department apart from many local agencies, such as the Indianapolis Police and the Marion County Sheriff's departments, which require only a high school diploma.
Though state troopers perform many of the same duties as municipal police officers, they are often regarded as an elite force that dominates state highways and requires officers to have large patrol areas. As of Jan. 4, the force had 1,126 of its 1,334 trooper slots filled.
Recruiting can be tough because the department may place officers anywhere in the state, and most salaries are lower than large city or county police forces pay.
Turning to officers in local departments promises to save the State Police money as well as fill its ranks. Because such recruits already know the basics, they'll go through a shorter training program and can be on the roads more quickly than someone starting fresh.
"We are in a competitive market," 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten said. "We are also interested in getting the best dollar value for the taxpayers as a whole."
The department hopes to draw experienced officers who yearn for career advancement but find themselves with no room for promotion. As a state trooper, they could even be assigned to the same area and avoid the need for a move as they take on a new job.
The state could save a third of the approximately $21,500 it spends on salary and equipment for each new recruit it sends through a 22-week academy. Bursten said the more-seasoned recruits will need about 15 weeks of training.
Andrea Johnson, deputy director of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, said the State Police plan simply shifts the training costs to smaller communities.
"The cities and towns have paid to train the officers," Johnson said. "They will have to pay to train their replacements."
Additionally, she said the state's move might force small cities to increase salaries to keep their officers from bolting.
"We all want the State Police to be successful," Johnson said. "I just wish they could find a policy that doesn't hurt cities and towns."
Bargersville Police Chief John O'Rourke oversees a department with five officers, including himself. Competition among law enforcement agencies is the nature of modern police work, he said.
"It obviously would hurt us if three of our officers went away," O'Rourke said. "On the other hand, we've taken officers who have been trained by others."
One Bargersville officer recently left to join the Greenwood Police Department, O'Rourke said. His replacement previously patrolled the streets in Trafalgar.
"Police protection is vital," O'Rourke said. "Somebody has to pay the bill."

[SuperTrooper]

WOW!!!

Michigan is the opposite. Alot of recruits and no jobs..:eek: