COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Colorado Springs Police Department dropped one of its hiring requirements in an effort to remove recruitment barriers, KRDO reported.
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The department previously required applicants to have an associate’s degree or 60 college credit hours. Now, anyone with a high school diploma or GED can apply, according to the department.
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The change was approved at an April 7 Civil Service Commissioners meeting. Department officials said that the change is intended to avoid excluding those with military or trade school backgrounds from serving amid a shrinking applicant pool.
“I think times have changed since, and we wanted to remove [the military service] barrier, especially … They’ve got the life experience that they need,” Ira Cronin, public relations manager for the CSPD, told KRDO.
Applicants must still pass a background check, psychological exam and physical fitness requirements. Training begins with the 30-week academy, followed by another 15 weeks of field training before becoming sworn officers.
Educational requirements for promotion to leadership roles remain in place, CSPD said.
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Do you think dropping college credit requirements will help address staffing shortages without impacting the quality of recruits? Why or why not?
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