Plainfield, Indiana— March/April 2005
Hiring and keeping police officers has been a challenge for many law enforcement agencies over the years. By 1999, more than half of actively hiring agencies had difficulty finding qualified applicants. On top of that, screening and training of candidates typically takes eight to 11 months. In the late 90's, twenty percent of departments (mostly small ones) saw a decrease in officer strength primarily due to fiscal or recruitment problems.

Federal Grant Funds Program
In response to this need, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) began providing funding in the form of grants to put 100,000 additional police on the Nation's streets in the second half of the 1990's. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute was one of approximately 27 agencies that received a COPS grant. States had to submit a plan and have it approved to be awarded the funding. The program in Indiana is known as the Indiana Police Corps.

College-Educated Individuals Sought
The Indiana Police Corps program began in 1999 and is "designed to entice college-educated individuals to enter the law enforcement field and make it a true profession" according to Indiana recruitment coordinator Rick Erny. This will ultimately increase the number of officers with advanced education and training who are assigned to community patrol to address violent crime. The Federal scholarships are offered on a competitive basis to students agreeing to serve on community patrol for at least four years. They begin their work as officers upon graduation from college.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Police Corps, students must be admitted to an accredited 4-year college on a full time basis. Those attending community college are eligible once they transfer to a 4-year institution. Degrees can be pursued in any field. Currently, students are recruited at various Indiana universities through career fairs or criminal justice classes, law enforcement association presentations, and word of mouth for the eleven available slots. Over eighty individuals applied last year. Law enforcement agencies can also submit candidates to the Police Corps for sponsorship. A rating system is used to rank the students for acceptance into the program. The final step is to pass a physical and psychological evaluation. Public Safety Medical Services has been providing the physical and fitness evaluations since program inception. Once accepted, students can receive up to $3,750 per year or $15,000 over four years. However, if the participant does not satisfactorily complete their education, training and service requirements, all scholarships and reimbursements received through the program must be repaid...with interest.

Training Program
All participants in the Police Corps must complete a rigorous 18-24 week residential training program. The training teaches the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for effective service on community patrol and develops physical, moral, and analytical capabilities. At the conclusion of training, the participants are entered into the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy to satisfy the high standards for physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Upon graduation, students can apply to the law enforcement agencies of their choice.

Graduates Available for Hire
Since the year 2000, the Indiana Police Corps has placed 47 academy certified individuals with law enforcement agencies in Indiana. These fully trained individuals are provided at no cost to the law enforcement agency. At the time of this writing, there are currently 7 personnel still seeking placement from the class that just graduated. If you're in the market, please contact Rick Erny for more details at 877.824.6948.

Click here for the Indiana Police Corps newsletter article.

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© 2006 Public Safety Medical Services