In an effort to ensure that Northwest Indiana police departments reflect the communities they serve, Indiana University Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE), the Griffith Police Department, and Crossroads YMCA are offering a one-day training workshop for potential police officer candidates.
The Prepare to Serve and Protect workshop is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19 in Raintree Hall at IU Northwest. The workshop will provide those planning to apply for law enforcement positions with tips and techniques for advancing in the hiring process.
Topics to be covered include: written exam content and test-taking strategies; interview preparation tips; and mock group interviews. In addition, candidates will practice for the physical agility portion of the exam and learn how to improve performance.
The workshop will not focus on a specific department’s hiring process, but offer general guidelines that will help potential candidates succeed. Presenters will include IU Northwest faculty members, area law enforcement officers, and Crossroads YMCA fitness professionals.
Through this workshop, the community partners intend to address social needs within the community, as well as assist area police departments in bridging recruitment effort gaps. In a needs assessment survey conducted by the Griffith Police Department, 63 percent of participating departments indicated they were not satisfied with the number of female applicants and nearly 73 percent marked they would like to have more minority applicants.
Helping NW Indiana Thrive
According to Griffith Police Chief Greg Mance, the survey shows that the immediate need for police candidates will be high, with 77 percent of respondents stating they will be hiring within the next 12 months. In addition, nearly 41 percent responded that the quality of applicants had declined in recent years.
“Successfully completing the law enforcement testing and selection process is extremely challenging and is something rarely achieved in the applicant’s first attempt,” said Mance. “The Prepare to Serve and Protect workshop provides candidates with the tools they need to improve their odds of getting hired.”
The workshop is open to all, but female and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to participate. The cost is $10 per person. Registration is required through the Crossroads YMCA; YMCA membership is not required. Participation will be capped at 40 people.
Registration is required. Register online or call the Griffith YMCA at 219-750-1082. Register online here: https://operations.daxko.com/Online/5108/ProgramsV2/OfferingDetails.mvc?program_id=TMP12269&offering_id=SES291371&location_id=B333.
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