HENDERSON (KTNV) — Henderson Police Department tells 13 Action News it is changing the job requirements to include more applicants because of a need for more officers.
The department says the previous standards were excluding too many. The recruitment staff hopes they can cast a wider net while offering a different pay scale based on the level of education and experience.
Currently, more than 350 men and women wear the dark blue HPD uniform, but there is room for more.
Recruitment Officer Evan Green says they lose a lot of people during the background check and physical training test.
"We're looking for people with integrity and often times what we're finding is people come in and they don't tell us everything," Green says.
Officer Green says in the past the department required at least an associates degree and did not allow high school graduates to apply. But as recruitment numbers fell, the department thought it would be best to modify its policy.
While some may see this as lowering the police department's standards, HPD says it's main goal is to be "more inclusive."
"We're not here to judge anybody, we just need to find good people that are going to best suit the department," Green says.
The pay will depend on:
"We want to appreciate those who have furthered their education and pay them dully."
Officer Green also says life experience matters especially when service members are interested in transitioning to policing.
"The military offers to experience a lot of normal citizens do not encounter from training to being deployed," Green says.
To apply at the Henderson Police Department click here.
