Shortage of police recruits

I read with interest David Knopf’s article on shortages of police academy cadets (5/11, Local, “Shortage of recruits challenges area police”). The article was good, but it did not tell the whole story.

My son got discharged from the Marines in early 2006. He was an M.P. He applied at several police academies. He even took time off from work to go to Springfield to interview. He also applied with State Highway Patrol and the State Water Patrol.

He was turned down on all counts because he has one tattoo that is visible when dressed. It’s highly objectionable: “USMC.”

In late 2007 he was called back in the Marines: military police again.

Bruce D. Pasley
Laddonia, Mo.

Comments

[jack]

The rules is the rules. Why is this a problem?

Many PD's prefer NOT to hire MPs. The training and expectations are quite different.

BTW: Shouldn't be hard to fill out the ranks. Just do what the Army has done. Keep lowering the standards until you can get the right number of people.

[T. Hanson]

Also one has to see where we are getting the story from. There could be something from his past that is causing a problem. Being an MP does not mean you are best suited to deal with everyday citizens.

Or the fact he was called back into the Marines. He might have stated to the review board that there was a chance of him being called back after the money was spent on training him. Therefore they might have told him to come back after he was done with his obligated service.

There could be many parts of this story and since we only know of one side it is hard to side with this guy. Especially since three seperate departments turned him down.

[Not Your Average Joe]

T Hanson, exactly. It is a perpetual game of overspending each year's budget to get more next year.

Too many police are not good. They wind up idle and harassing the public over petty issues.

[solomon]

Good afternoon Marctnts,

"USMC", "MOM" or "FTW" (for my friends from the hippie era)I would think if he wanted to be an officer so bad he could have had the tat removed. If he is a complainer, (and all we know for sure is that his dad is) he probably wouldn't make a good officer.

[Marctnts]

My guess is that there are regulations that say something like "No tatoos shall be visable when dressed in the required uniform". I'm relatively certain that this requirement is not followed by "...unless we do not find the tatoo objectionable".

I'm sure we're all thankful for her son's military service, but if you want to be a cop, abide by the hiring policies. If a decision you made to get a tatoo in a very visible place is coming back to haunt you, live with the consequences instead of complaining about them.

[T. Hanson]

The question can be answered easily. If the police departments hired what they ask for then how will they justify asking for more money next year?

How I assume the question is usally asked for more money by Police and Fire Departments:

We need more personal for this upcoming year. That means we need at least $250,000.

City approves, but never follows up on the staffing.

So next year:

We need more personal for this upcoming year. We need another $250,000.

so on and so forth.

[Rogue]

Mr. Pasley, Thanks you and your son for his service to our country.

Your story, unfortunately, rings all too true. That being said it is these cities that should hang their heads, certainly not you and your son.