The Elkhart Police Department’s recruitment efforts are impacted by applicants’ inability to pass a background check.
Chief Dan Milanese told the Elkhart Board of Public Safety last week that there were about 20 people in the last applicant pool, but only two were still in the running. He said background checks are typically the most common reason applicants are removed from consideration.
"You don’t have to have a perfect history," Milanese said. "That’s not what we look for, but there are some significant things that people have in their past that we’re unable to rectify, when it comes to that background process in hiring."
Still, he said many of the same applicants could become eligible later. “Due to the timing, how recent some of the activities they participated in in their life, just a little too close,” Milanese added.
He said there are currently about 15 openings in the department, and he commended current officers for stepping up to avoid any gaps in service.
Board member Dacey Davis thanked Milanese for not lowering standards to fill openings. “I know it’s hard to find qualified applicants, and a lot of people, because of the stress of needing people, they lowered the expectations, so I'm glad that you’re keeping your expectations,” Davis said.
As part of the department’s recruitment efforts, the board of safety agreed to renew an agreement with WNDU for TV commercials, at a cost of almost $18,600 for another year. Milanese said the decline in applicants has started to level off, thanks to the TV ads.
The Elkhart Police Department is also a financial supporter of WVPE, where it’s run similar messages.
