CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is preparing to train up to hundreds of new officer recruits this year.
This will put more boots on the ground and allot more resources to the community.
"We are used to doing three traditional recruit classes, but this year with our increased number in our applications and hiring we are going to do four," CMPD Recruitment Captain Gene Lim said.
Lim said the uptick in interest comes from the outreach efforts they made both nationally and regionally.
"We've been going to colleges, military bases, and career fairs," Lim said.
As CMPD prepares to increase the number of officers out on the streets, they’re also preparing to decrease the amount of crime happening in our communities.
"The chief’s priority for 2024 includes keeping a hammer down on violent crime while also addressing property and auto crime," Lim said.
Recent data from CMPD shows one of the biggest issues is the number of kids with guns.
It's one of the issues they’re hoping to tackle starting with the folks behind the badge, building relationships in the community.
"When you are talking about any kind of crime fighting in general you want to look at informing new officers about what in the ground in our community," Lim said. "We want to give them that community engagement and get them out in the community while they’re in training."
Lim said officers will be placed based on the need and they’re also open to allowing some officers to patrol neighborhoods where they grew up.
Lim said this helps enhance relationships and strengthen connections.
"You want community engagers and crime fighters wrapped into one."
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.