UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Law enforcement departments across North Carolina continue to struggle with recruiting. Many departments told WCNC Charlotte it is a competitive industry with other departments and jobs outside the industry.
Both the Union County Sheriff's Office and Monroe Police Department agree. They said recruiting is harder than it was five years ago. Both agencies also said they are working around the clock to bring in not just any person, but the right person to do the job.
People wear the badge for a whole lot of reasons: Because service runs in the family because they want to help or even because they want to be a hero to someone else. But the reasons all align for those serving Monroe and Union County: A desire to help people.
"It’s the most rewarding job you can do, you can have long days and long nights," Captain David Morton with Monroe Police said.
"You often see people on their worst day and on their best day," Lieutenant James Maye with the Union County Sheriff's Office said.
Both said, over the past few years, it's gotten harder to find people who want to wear the badge.
“The applications have slowed down over the last few years and trying to find good applicants," Morton said, noting Monroe police currently has 12 vacancies. The department has 100 officers when fully staffed, making this a vacancy exceeding 10% of the maximum staff.
Maye said the sheriff's office also had a 10-person shortage. Even amid the current situations at both agencies, Maye and Morton told WCNC Charlotte they are still in a better position than they were last year and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aside from pay, they highlighted major reasons why people aren't applying for jobs.
"We do get agencies that get bad press and things happen, and people turn away from doing this kind of work," Morton said.
"Some people don’t view law enforcement in a positive light anymore, although out folks come in every day to serve the community whether they are appreciated or not," Maye said.
Regardless, Union County departments continue to ramp up recruiting. They are looking for people like Clement Perry, who works as a Union County detention center officer.
“It’s selflessness when you are willing to give yourself for a better purpose, at the end of the day that’s all this job asks for," Perry said.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.