IMPD looking to hire more officers
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is now hiring more police officers.
In Sept. 2014, the City-County Council approved a public safety tax increase to 0.5 percent from 0.35 percent. For residents who make $50,000 a year, the increase will cost about $6.25 per month or $75 a year.
The hike is expected to bring in $29 million – $16 million goes directly to the Indianapolis Department of Public Safety, Marion County justice agencies will get $11 million and municipalities take the nearly $2 million left over.
IMPD said the department loses about 50 officers each year and it’s now down hundreds of police officers.
“There’s definitely a need for officers,” IMPD recruiter Officer Michael Wolley said. “Indianapolis is growing. The economy’s doing well so people are moving into Indianapolis. Anytime you have an increase in population you’re going to have to increase your police department. We’ve had a lot of retirements so we definitely need to fill the ranks.”
The police department is hoping to fill many of its openings with people 21-36 years old. IMPD recruiters have turned to social media to attract the millennials.
“I’m a millennial myself,” Officer Wolley said. “We are service oriented. They say we are about inclusion and diversity. So we definitely need those type of individuals in the department. We definitely want their education to come throught our department. Technology is important to law enforcement, just as it is to the business sector, so we need those new ideas and creative juices flowing within our ranks as well.”
Click here to see if you qualify and apply to be an IMPD officer. You can also learn more about IMPD on their recruiting website.