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The ISD Police Department isn’t unique in terms of staffing.
“The competition for new police officers is intense, not just in Houston, but throughout the country.”
HISD Police Chief Charles Wiley. He wants to do what other police departments do–pay for the 12-week police certification training. He says the average cost is 26-hundred dollars.
“We have in the past hired already certified, already sworn officers. In this case and under this program we would hire employees who are not sworn who aspire to become police officers, sponsor them in the academy and pay their costs.”
Another option would be to recruit those trainees who are paying their own way through training. In exchange for HISD picking up the tab, they’d commit to three years as an HISD police officer.
Chief Wiley the department will also review its standards and get more creative in attracting more trainees to the department.