By Joanna Putman
Police1
CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Police have launched a new recruitment initiative, using high-visibility opportunities at Penn State football games to raise awareness and attract potential cadets, Pennlive reported.
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Troopers are now accompanying head coach James Franklin during home and away games, aiming to reach a large audience of college football fans and players, according to the report.
The initiative, which began last season, involves three troopers and a corporal attending games and practices to build relationships with players and raise the profile of the state police. The goal is to encourage student-athletes to consider law enforcement careers, particularly as the department faces challenges in recruiting due to factors such as the pandemic and negative perceptions of police, according to the report.
Captain Jamal Pratt, head of the state police recruitment division, said that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to increase applications. The state police saw an increase from 2,100 applications in 2022 to 6,400 last year and are on track to receive 7,000 applications this year, according to the report. Despite these improvements, the department still has about 230 vacancies out of 4,410 positions.
“We want to see where we can get the best marketing and advertisement, that reachability to make our brand become more of a household name,” Pratt told Pennlive.
The state police’s efforts are part of a broader strategy, including billboards, social media campaigns and career fairs to address the ongoing recruitment shortfall, according to the report.
