New Orleans is beginning another round of recruiting police officers. Officials are hoping the efforts will bring the ranks up from under 1,200 to 1,600.
Police Superintendent RonalSerpas and Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced the next recruitment drive will be aimed at military veterans and faith-based groups.
Serpas says the department has the funding and will search nationwide for new recruits.
“Inside the department, the equipment, the tools, the resources, the promotional opportunities and the ability to take your career forward are fully engaged,” he says. “And the recruitment campaign is fully engaged.”
The police department has been given enough money to fund 150 new officers. But the city’s hasn’t found enough qualified applicants.
Serpas says he’s confident the drive will work.
“I absolutely believe as we go into the coming six, 12, 18 to 24 months we will reach all of our goals and we will have 1,600 people on this police department. And we will do this every single day until we get there.”
The marketing drive will include the New Orleans region, along with Houston, Chicago and Miami.