The Phoenix Police Department has been trying to fill vacancies caused by a hiring freeze. They’ve made some headway. And in a way that department statistics say is more reflective of the Phoenix community at large.
Sergeant Jonathan Howard with the Phoenix Police said that since the freeze was lifted, the department has been working hard to get out to every community in Phoenix and say:
"You know who’s going to make a good police officer in your community. Encourage that person to come to us," Howard explained. "We’re reaching out our hand to every member of the Valley, in the Phoenix ares especially. It’s who’s taking advantage of the opportunity to come join our team. That’s the challenge for us."
They still have about 400 vacancies, but they’ve also hired 520 officers since the freeze was lifted in 2015. And those new recruits are starting to more accurately reflect the demographics of the Phoenix area.
According to their statistics, almost 30 percent of new recruits are Hispanic. That’s almost double the percentage of current sworn officers. The number of women, African Americans and Native Americans who’ve joined the force, is also up.