CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is looking to expand its applicant pool with two hiring events on Saturday.
The department will be recruiting at Faith CME Church in Hidden Valley from 12 to 2 p.m. They will also be at the Charlotte African-American Festival.
"We know there's urgency and that this is the most important job I have right now: is hiring police officers to serve the city,” says CMPD Capt. Dave Johnson. Johnson is in charge of recruitment and training at CMPD. "We are about 170 bodies down. It's a little high for us."
Johnson says those 170 open positions are across the department. They need more officers in patrol, investigations and specialized units.
While CMPD has seen a 25 percent increase in applications from January to March, Johnson says 95 percent of the people who do apply are disqualified.
“It can be anything from drug use to a poor driving record, poor life decisions that they've made,” says Johnson.
The department recently revamped their website and launched new recruitment videos. CMPD has attended recruitment events every day since Tuesday.
“We want to go where there is a diverse applicant pool that we can target so we go to military bases, HBCUs, local college campuses, minority job fairs,” says Johnson.
At the same time, CMPD faces stiff competition – the Queen City is where other police departments, like Raleigh, choose to recruit.
"Everybody is trying to find qualified folks wherever they can find them," said Johnson.
He says the hiring process includes a written test, interviews and a ride along. The whole process can take about five months, which can be challenging.
"It's a competition just like in the corporate world,” says Johnson.
In addition, CMPD officers have gone to city council, asking for better pay. CMPD Chief Kerr Putney has voiced his support.
"I stand firmly in the fact that they've earned it. They've earned the right to be the highest paid officers in the region, much less the state, and I absolutely support that,” said Putney.
“To know that the chief has your back and feels that way, it’s inspirational,” says Johnson.