FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As police departments across the country struggle to recruit people for the job, Fort Lauderdale Police is trying something different.
Officers were out and about across the Fort Lauderdale beaches Monday looking for people who would be willing to become a police officer.
7News cameras captured officers speaking to spring breakers about their recruitment opportunities.
“We’re out here just spreading the message that we’re recruiting right now, actively, for our police officers. So when you guys get tired of that snow, lake effect, 30 inches, you come down here, this is how it is all year round,” a police officer tells a group of spring breakers.
Fort Lauderdale Police, along with Miramar Police, and Broward Sheriff’s Office are looking for applicants to join their police force.
“So nationally, police agencies are seeing a downturn in incoming applications. It’s not really a problem we’re having, but it is certainly something that we can work to address and increase the amount of applicants we get,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Department Chief Bill Schultz.
Police officers were seen handing out Frisbee discs and sunglasses to beachgoers as an attempt to talk to them about their recruitment efforts as they take advantage of the high amount of college-aged spring breakers in town.
“How often are you going to get this many of thousands of college students, from around the world, in your own backyard and potentially have a workforce pool?” said Schultz.
Officers met with beachgoers as they participated in some question-and-answers about the process, and eligibility.
“We are hiring, you gotta be 21 years of age or older,” said an officer. “Enjoy your game, enjoy Fort Lauderdale, you guys need anything, we’re always around.”
“I was just wondering about that because I am in the military right now, but in a different country, so I was wondering how does the green card process work because I’m Canadian,” a beachgoer said to a recruiting officer.
“So what are you guys majoring in,” said an officer to another group of beachgoers.
“Psychology,” said one female beachgoer.
“Oh, psychology!” said the officer. “Our agency, one of the things that Karen is always raving about, it’s very diverse, a lot of females that work there.”
Officer Karen Piedrahita recently relocated from New York to Fort Lauderdale to join their police force.
“I love my job. I love what I do,” said Piedrahita.
She was canvassing the beach for potential recruiters as she told them her relocation story.
“After seeing the opportunities to grow that we have here, and after seeing the training and compensation that we get for the work that we do, I realized that this is the change that I’ve been looking for. So, being able to do what I love, in a better environment, it was just what I needed,” said Piedrahita.
Fort Lauderdale Police is looking to fill over 40 positions for sworn law enforcement officers.
Miramar Police has 44 positions open and are also trying their own way of recruiting by sending their officers to parks to pass out flyers as they spread the word.
Broward Sheriff’s Office is promoting sign-on bonuses in an effort to hire new officers and deputies.
If you’re interested in joining the police force, head on over to their respective websites and apply.
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