To Quickly Address Staffing Shortages, Minneapolis Police Looking To Hire Cops From Other Departments

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- WCCO-TV has reported extensively on the significant staffing shortages at the Minneapolis Police Department as officers retire or quit.

Now the department is amping up its efforts to bring in new people. A new recruiting class of 22 headlines MPD's efforts to fill its ranks.

"We have a class going on right now, we'll be opening up more hiring in our CSO application in January," said Sgt. Keia Boyd.

The push for additional officers is urgent. MPD is operating with one-third less officers than the 730 officers allocated by city charter.

There are 582 active sworn staff of all ranks working in any assignment. That does not include 49 officers on continuous leave.

"We are still out there taking calls," Boyd said. "We still have community support, and our department is still growing, so come be a part of our growth."

As a recruiting supervisor, Boyd is extending an offer to licensed police officers in other jurisdictions to join the department.

"We plan to get more people as laterals, because we are the biggest department in the state," Boyd said.

Lateral hiring, or recruiting from other departments, began Thursday.

The hope is that sworn officers in other cities bring their experience and go through the process to be an officer in Minneapolis.

"Our application process is going to be a continuation, because what we want is to get a group of laterals coming in at the same time so we can put on a class specifically for them," Boyd said.

Hiring experienced officers from other cities will help fill the ranks faster.

MPD has not accepted laterals in years, but the department believes that now is the time to get the best and brightest who want to take part in transforming this department.

MPD is starting another recruiting class and the job posting will open next week. Cadet applications open up in February.

You can find all the job postings here.