CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is making a plea to the public to fill 200 officer vacancies.
"If anybody hasn't heard already, I just want to put it out there quickly that CMPD is hiring 24/7, 365,” CMPD Captain Gene Lim said.
The department made the announcement in its weekly news conference Wednesday morning. It is looking for new recruits as well as recruits from other law enforcement agencies.
The department says the 200 positions it needs to fill include 120 new positions approved by Charlotte City Council at least three years ago.
"We're not at any different rate for our amount of retention of our folks that are coming in and out of the door in recent years,” Lim said.
However, it is a continued call for more people to apply. CMPD announced back in April 2020 it needed to hire 170 police officers and 40 telecommunications and has continued recruiting efforts.
CMPD says it is using digital marketing campaigns, face-to-face recruiting opportunities, and has used interactive conversations via Facebook videos to connect with potential hires.
The department is offering officers from other departments a one-time $5,000 moving expense payment or a one-time payment of $3,000 to join the force.
"If anybody's ever considering a career in public safety,” Lim said. “Now's the time to do it."
CMPD said there is no lapse in service on the streets of Charlotte, but they could always use more help.
Lim said the department’s recruitment efforts have brought in officers from as far away as California, Oregon, Connecticut, and New York.
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.