Equalizing the police force is not easy

The Lynchburg Police Department, faced with an ongoing challenge in minority recruitment, is hoping a $15,000 grant will give those efforts a boost.

“Our mission is to have a department that reflects the make-up of our community,” said Lt. Mike Staley.

“Sadly, ours does not. We are making strides to improve that.”

Nearly 30 percent of the city’s population is black. In the police department, the number is 7.7 percent, a ratio that has stayed roughly the same for many years.

It’s not just a problem for Lynchburg. Recruiting new law enforcement officers, particularly those that reflect a diverse community, poses a challenge for agencies throughout the Lynchburg area.

“We don’t have the manpower to do recruiting like the State Police or other larger organizations,” said Maj. Steve Hutcherson of the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, where 6 percent of deputies are black.

“We would like to have someone designated full time for recruiting … We want to make sure we get a diverse applicant pool. We want a diverse department. We want to mirror the people that we protect and serve.”

Major Parks Snead, Lynchburg’s interim police chief, said to be effective, police officers need to share the needs and wants of the community.

“We recognize the reality that no police agency can police the community,” Snead said. “The community polices itself with the police’s help. A relationship with the community is critical. They have to understand that police are another set of partners and it helps if the police department looks like the community. We want to be approachable at any level.”

The department is seeking a grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, would require a $5,000 match from the city. Officers plan to use the money to fund trips to various colleges and career fairs to bolster recruitment efforts.

The recruiting process can take anywhere from a few months to a year and involves interviews, background checks, a polygraph and other testing. Hundreds may apply, but only a handful actually make it through the process, Staley said.

Staley said he doesn’t want to have to travel to find the right people, adding he would prefer to locate people in Lynchburg with a desire for police work who already have a stake in the community.

“Many of the people here are happy to give back,” said Capt. Brandon Zuidema. “Others are here because they love Lynchburg and want to give back. At the same time, it’s a good, stable job with a good retirement and the benefits are fair, if not better than fair. It’s a good steady employment, but it’s not only about the employment but about making a difference.”

The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office does not have any formalized recruiting process. Sgt. Kyle Williams said Bedford has an open application process, meaning he takes applications year- round.
Almost 200 people apply each year, but only 30 are hired to fill vacancies, he said.

Williams said Bedford has a constant problem in attracting qualified people since its starting salary isn’t as high as other agencies and it doesn’t get as much publicity and exposure.

“We have to sort of balance trying to appear marketable and appealing to prospective employees, but we can’t spend too much because we would be shooting ourselves in the foot,” Williams said.

Hutcherson said Campbell County’s recruitment efforts rely heavily on word of mouth. Deputies do visit job fairs and recruit at area colleges. The department also has an internship program that helps prospective deputies learn the rewards and challenges of law enforcement.

The Amherst County Sheriff’s Office does a lot of print advertising and flyers when it has a job opening, said Lt. Greg Turner said. He also recruits at area colleges.

“Getting qualified applicants is a challenge,” Turner said. “It’s not like hiring for a factory or an office. It’s a fairly lengthy, rigorous process. We need people with clean records, criminal history and driving records that are honest and can deal well with the public. We can teach all the law enforcement skills necessary, but honesty and the ability to deal with other people is something we can’t teach.”