By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com
The Sacramento Police Department has announced that the agency is hiring for the first time in several years, thanks in part to money that will come from the voter-approved Measure U sales tax increase.
The department is hiring recruits to attend its academy and police officers who would move laterally from another agency.
Agency officials are not yet sure exactly how many officers will be hired, as they wait to hear how much of the Measure U funding the department will receive. However, officials said they want to get the word out after a long hiatus from sponsoring recruits through the police academy.
"We don't want people thinking we're never hiring again," said Acting Capt. Kathy Lester, who oversees the personnel division. "We're finally hiring and we'd like to get some really good people, especially young people from the community."
Officials are seeking three types of candidates: police officers with at least two years experience currently employed by another agency; 18-year-old recruits who, upon graduating from the Academy, would become non-sworn community service officers until they completed at least 60 units of college education; and 21-year-old or older recruits who meet the educational requirements and would be promoted to sworn police officer upon finishing the Academy.
Lester said the goal is to have recruits in place for the next Academy class, starting in July.
"Hiring is a lot of fun but it's an intensive process," she said, noting that applicants must pass written, oral, physical, background and psychological exams. "We want to pick the best candidates."
Three free workshops are being held for those interested in more information: Feb. 2, Feb. 9, Feb. 16, April 6, May 4 and June 8. Each session will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Sacramento Police Department's headquarters, 5770 Freeport Boulevard.
To reserve a spot in one of the workshops, send an email to police_recruiting@pd.cityofsacramento.org.
For more information, go to www.sacpd.org or call the Recruiting Unit at (916) 808-0880.
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