(Lawrenceville, Georgia)  With recruiting challenges being faced by law enforcement departments across the country, new ideas emerge while old ideas are revisited. Recruiting new candidates to become tomorrow’s law enforcement officers has become difficult for many police agencies for many different reasons. But one thing is certain- the old ways of getting candidates no longer works for most agencies. In other words, most agencies cannot sit back and wait for the applicants to come to them. There are some agencies that have turned their entire recruiting budgets over to corporate public relations firms to conduct their advertising and recruiting campaigns. Others put all of their resources into local area recruiting. And some, like the Gwinnett County Police Department, combine newer progressive advertising techniques with traditional recruiting efforts.

In the late 1990s, we had a few officers working for GCPD from upstate New York (including now-retired GCPD Chief Charlie Walters). The Gwinnett County Police Department began actively recruiting in the Buffalo and Rochester, NY areas. The result was a perfect match for the recruits, our department, and our residents.

The move was positive for applicants that wanted to become law enforcement officers. They may have had to wait awhile to get hired in New York due to Civil Service and other legal procedures. The out-of-state recruitment was a success because many of the hired recruits remained for many years as dedicated and loyal employees (some who are still police officers with GCPD to this day). And our community benefitted from the attraction of great candidates with a strong desire for public service through law enforcement.

Cpl. J. Doherty, originally from the upstate New York area, was one of those officers that relocated and made law enforcement a career with GCPD in September 2000. He cited milder winters, a rapidly-growing Metro Atlanta area, excellent job opportunities and the chance to gain invaluable experience as reasons for his move. In fact, Cpl. Doherty recalls that his police academy class was filled with more New Yorkers than Georgians when he went through the academy.

On October 22, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., investigators from GCPD’s Office of Professional Standards will conduct a Recruiting Expo at SUNY-Erie Community College’s (ECC) North Campus in Williamsville, NY. Prospective applicants will get an opportunity to learn more about the Gwinnett County Police Department, our residents, and the county we serve. The expo will include an orientation period, Physical Fitness Assessment, and Q&A session. Beginning in the next few weeks, the event will be publicized through posters on the ECC campus and other area schools and through radio ads in New York. But starting this week, and for the first time, GCPD will utilize more progressive means of expo advertising through cost-effective mobile advertising and Twitter feeds.

Interested applicants can expect to encounter a thorough backgrounds process that averages around 90 days from application to hire, which is considerably shorter than wait times in New York and some other Metro Atlanta agencies. Also, by running three to four police academies a year, applicants don’t have to wait to apply with GCPD. In fact, our department will even put them to work as they wait for an academy to start.  The Gwinnett County Police Department offers many opportunities to work in various units such as Criminal Investigations, K9, SWAT, Motorcycle Unit, DUI Unit, Accident Investigation Unit, Aviation, and Narcotics to name a few. Prospective applicants in the New York area can pre-register for the event at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GwinnettPolice. More information about the department and county can be found at www.gwinnettpolicejobs.com.

Continuing with local area recruiting efforts, GCPD background investigators will also be visiting the following locations during the remainder of 2016:

• 9/28/2016, Noon-4:00pm, GA Southern University
• 10/4/2016, 10:00am-1:00pm, North Carolina Central University
• 10/5/2016, 9:00am-Noon, South Carolina State University
• 10/5/2016, 10:00am-3:00pm, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC
• 10/11/2016, 10:00am-2:00pm, North GA College & State University (Dahlonega campus)
• 10/12/2016, 12:30pm-4:00pm, The Citadel
• 10/19/2016, 10:00am-2:00pm, Savannah State University
• 11/1/2016, 9:30am-12:30pm, Moody Air Force Base
• 11/3/2016, 2:00pm-4:00pm, GA Southern University
• 11/8/2016, 8:00am-4:00pm, North GA College & State University (Dahlonega campus)

The Gwinnett County Police Department is excited to use these new methods of recruiting future officers. It’s our hope that new applicants see all that Gwinnett County has to offer.  

Link to photos:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i7bdqybbku9s9hp/AACyO11ob77wRap_O90YYGZKa?dl=0