Indiana State Police have recruitment concerns, but also hope for the future
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police troopers have been recruited for years for being some of the state’s best and brightest. In fact there are more than 1,200 state troopers In Indiana.
Though they are based all over, they share one common concern — sustaining their workforce.
“What are we going to do when the vast majority, not the vast majority but a significant number leave, find other employment or retire and we don’t have the application pool on the other end to sustain our workforce. I’m very, very concerned about that. I’m not alone. This is a problem with policing all over America,” said Doug Carter, ISP superintendent.
Carter told state lawmakers Tuesday that those applications to be a state police officer are likely down by hundreds compared to before.
This comes as protests and riots over police brutality, and racial justice happen around the nation and Indiana.
“What’s happening is not OK. My profession, this profession is not without sin. We own some of this, and I acknowledge some of that. But we are not bad people. We try very hard. We go to the problem. We don’t generally create it,” said Carter.
Carter said ISP also loses 46-50 officers a year for reasons including retirement, other job opportunities or termination.
“I have 40 people in recruit school right now. So, we’re going to have a net loss of 10 just this year. Just this year. We won’t be able to replace the number of people that have left,” said Carter.
Still, Carter remains hopeful about the future of his department.
“It’s an amazing profession. Only if, only if you’re willing to give more than you’ll ever receive. If you want to do that, gosh, come see us,” he said.
ISP will host a readiness workshop at 325 Minuteman Way in Franklin on Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The workshop is a chance for potential trooper applicants to get a taste of the intense application process. Interested individuals can send an email to isprecruiting@isp.in.gov to reserve your seat as space is limited.
According to ISP, other readiness workshops are scheduled later this year at the following Indiana cities:
- Oct. 17 in Evansville
- Nov. 7 in Valparaiso
- Nov 14 in New Albany
Indiana State Police has more information about ISP careers on their website.