DALLAS — The Dallas City Council voted unanimously to eliminate the college credit requirement for police recruits in an effort to boost hiring amid staffing shortages, WFAA reported.
The move comes after voters approved Proposition U in November, requiring the city to maintain a police force of at least 4,000 officers. The Dallas Police Department currently has just over 3,200 officers and has not exceeded 3,700 since 2010.
Under the new policy, recruits must hold a high school diploma or GED and have three years of full-time work experience. College credits are no longer required.
Council member Cara Mendelsohn said the standards were carefully reviewed and supported by the department.
“If it turns out that this is highly successful, the applicants from this have passed the academy… we might even be able to go lower,” she said.
DPD Assistant Chief Israel Herrera said the change is intended to broaden access for local residents who may not have pursued higher education.
“We want everybody who is from Dallas to eventually come back and serve in the community that they grew up in,” Herrera said.
Graduates of the police academy will still receive 43 to 45 college credit hours through a partnership with the University of North Texas at Dallas. The program’s effectiveness will be evaluated at 12, 18 and 24 months.
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