CPD hiring remains stable, training increases

Enrollment in law enforcement training has increased in the past year.

By Samantha Sunne

Published Dec. 1, 2009

The hiring of new police officers at the police departments has not been affected by the economic recession.

One reason for the stability, which is unusual in a weak economy, is there are few layoffs in the law enforcement profession, said Gary Maddox, Director of Columbia's Law Enforcement Training Institute.

"At unstable times, the jobs that typically don't go away include law enforcement jobs," Maddox said. "In all times, unstable or otherwise, once you're on a law enforcement department the benefits are fairly consistent."

The MU Police Department hires new officers whenever positions become open, not on a regular basis, MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said. The department has seen no cutbacks in the last few years, Weimer said.

Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jessie Haden said this year CPD did not hire any new patrol officers but did open four new positions. Haden also said four new positions are unusual for this budget year because the city manager tried not to have a single layoff.

"That's really exceptional in these tough economic times," Haden said. "Columbia hasn't been hit as hard (by the economy) as some other areas."

Maddox said enrollment has increased by 10 to 20 percent in the last year at the Law Enforcement Training Institute, an MU extension program located in the Hearnes Center. This year there are about 40 students enrolled in the institute's basic program. The average is 30 students, Maddox said.

LETI graduates work for any of the estimated 650 police departments in the state, the vast majority of them within 100 miles, Maddox said. Many stay in Columbia or Boone County.

This year, CPD has seen an increase of applicants from outside of central Missouri, including some from out of state. The department has been increasing its recruiting efforts recently, Haden said.

About one-third of LETI students are sponsored by a police department or are already hired, Maddox said. About two-thirds of the students are pre-service, meaning they pay for their own training costs.

Maddox also said the number of sponsored students has increased in the last decade.

"I think it's changed for the most part because in the last 20 to 30 years law enforcement has become a profession just like all the other professions, in that you need formal education and training," Maddox said.

MUPD has not sponsored training for its officers for several years now, Weimer said. Instead, Weimer said officers are hired after having put themselves through training.

CPD will hire untrained applicants and sponsor their training if they are the best candidates available, Haden said. CPD also hires applicants who have paid for their own training or are LETI students at the time of their application, Haden said.

Every student at the Missouri State Highway Patrol's training academy in Jefferson City is guaranteed a job at the Highway Patrol, said Roger Whittler, Highway Patrol Assistant Director of Human Resources, and enrollment there has been consistent.

Two of the CPD's new positions are funded by a grant the department received from the Missouri Department of Transportation's Division of Highway Safety. The grant pays for all of the officers' vehicles and equipment except for handguns and Tasers.

The other positions for two new traffic officers were allocated to the department by Columbia's city management. CPD showed by data that two new traffic officers would generate revenue for the city in ticket writing, Haden said.

"The feedback that City Council gets will determine in part where they maintain resources," Haden said.