Kennewick Police Department set to implement Cadet training program
The Kennewick Police Department faces some of the same recruitment challenges as many other law enforcement agencies across the country, and Chief Ken Hohenberg has come up with a way to start training up new recruits from within.
The Cadet Program will hire aspiring officers between the ages of 18 and 21, for paid on-the-job training.
“Less than 10 percent of people who want to become a full-time police officer actually make it into policing because of all the factors that we have when it comes to not only their physical abilities but also their ability to compete and go through the testing process."
The Cadets would be paid, part-time employees of the department, and would also qualify for more than $3,000 in annual tuition reimbursement for college classes. Chief Hohenberg says he hopes to start the program with 6 cadets.
However, before they can begin the recruitment and hiring process, the city needs to rework some civil service rules.
"It's a great opportunity for a young person," Hohenberg said at Tuesday night's city council workshop meeting. "Right now I can hire from a new hires list, and a lateral hires list to fill open positions. This will allow me to create a third list, the Cadet list, to select from to fill open positions."
Police officers must be 21-years old in order carry a sidearm, and cannot be commissioned until then.
"I know from my own experience when I was much younger, before I came a police officer, I had the opportunity to work in a police department, get to know the agency, get to know officers. And really, reaffirmed my passion for policing, Hohenberg said. "I knew I wanted to be a police officer, but it reaffirmed my passion for what I wanted to do."
The Cadets will be part-time employees of the department, and will have to go through all the physical training and meet other requirements that officers have to meet, but they won’t be able to carry a side arm until they’re fully commissioned, which can happen once they turn 21. Funding for the program would come out of the Department's regular budget.
Cheif Hohenberg says it's different than the Explorers Program, which involves teens from 14 to 21. Explorers are not paid, and the program does not offer a direct path to becoming a police officer.
He said he hopes to have the program in place by the end of the year.
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