WISCONSIN — Over the last decade or so the Department of Justice indicates that less people are trying to become police officers.
A new study from the Police Executive Research Forum discovered that over 60 percent of police departments they surveyed saw an average of 30 percent less applicants perusing a job in law enforcement, over the last five years. It's a trend that educators in the law enforcement field say has many contributing factors, including the stress associated with the job, negative perceptions some people tie to the career and what can be a grueling schedule.
"Day in and day out you're working multiple shifts, you're working different hours of the day and you’re working weekends. And then there is your traditional Monday through Friday, nine to five jobs that are kind of more appealing," says Jason Webber a Public Safety Training Coordinator at NWTC
in Green Bay.
At NWTC law enforcement educators say many of their students are still trying to find jobs in the police field because they’re looking for a profession that can make a difference in their community.
And according to the Police Executive Research Forum study, there is a lot of opportunities for those students. Especially considering that their survey found that about 15 percent of officers nationwide are expected to retire in the next five years.
