Minnesota’s largest police force is casting a wide net in its search for its next group of recruits to restaff the department.
Recruiting officers for the Minneapolis Police Dept. will be busy this summer seeking candidates who want to protect and serve the city.
Often traveling in an eye-catching new Dodge Durango patrol cruiser, the recruiting team is making stops at open houses, college career fairs, pow wows, and other community and neighborhood events in the city.
Many of the efforts are aimed at intentionally connecting with diverse candidates.
“Our goal in Minneapolis is for the department to reflect the population we serve; it’s probably the most diverse city in the state,” said recruiter Lt Keheung (Ken) Anderson. “We also want to recruit more women; by 2030 we want to have a 30% female workforce.”
Following the unrest after George Floyd’s murder, the department saw the number of officers drop. Since then, a number of veteran officers have reached retirement age. The MPD now has several hundred vacancies below the department’s full employment of 880 officers.
Lt Anderson finds the candidates who are interested in joining the force are seeking a meaningful career.
“They want to make a difference in the community and impact lives for the better. Minneapolis has its own set of problems, but police officers have the highest chances of serving the community here,” he said. “Officers I’ve had the honor to work with are some of the most professional and highly trained officers in the country.”
Right now, recruiters are interested in talking to everyone from recent high school graduates interested in law enforcement to mid-career professionals ready to make a job switch.
The MPD offers several programs that defray or cover the cost of higher education for some of the qualified candidates.
The four pathways to entering the department include:
-Becoming a community service officer, an opportunity for someone with a high school diploma, a GED or who has been in the military. The MPD pays for their two year law enforcement degree and they begin working for the department while attending college. After getting their degrees, they transition to the 16-week MPD police academy for training and continue to be paid.
-Candidates who already have a two or four-year degree —in any subject. The MPD pays them and covers the costs for them to take a five-month law enforcement certification course, then are paid while they attend the policy academy.
-Recruits who have a two or four-year degree in law enforcement and are ready to attend the policy academy, with pay.
-Lateral hires can access an expedited process for police officers who have worked for at least one year in Minnesota, in another city or county. Officers from out-of-state who are interested in transferring to Minneapolis are required to have five years experience.
Beyond the classroom and on-the-job training, the MPD is seeking candidates who are
“empathetic and patient,” according to Lt. Anderson.
“The majority want to join because they want to be part of the community; they’re often with people on the hardest day of their lives,” he said. “Being empathetic is one of the best characteristic we’re looking for, as well as critical thinking. We need people who are calm and confident, and can defuse situations.”
To find information about careers in law enforcement with the MPD, go to www.minneapolismn.gov/join to learn more.
Those with questions who would like to speak directly to a recruiter, including Lt
Anderson and his fellow recruiting officer Jeremy Randle, can send an email to police-recruitment@minneapolismn.gov.
Lt Anderson and Officer Randle will return the e mail and frequently set up one-on-one personal phone calls with those interested in discussing opportunities with the MPD.
Photo courtesy MPD
Lt Keheung Anderson, student at a career fair. Officer Jeremy Randle