LAWTON, Okla_If you're
looking for a career, or searching for a new one, the Lawton Police Department
wants you to consider them. The department is now accepting applications. They
hope to hire around 20 new officers to fill vacant positions and new ones. Training
officers say the additional help would be a huge asset to the department and
the community.
Training
officers say filling vacant positions and adding additional hands is always
important when it comes to fighting crimes. They say the additional presence
and patrol of officers has been proven to help decrease crimes such as
burglaries and robberies, giving detectives more time to focus on other crimes
including murders.
To wear a badge
for this department you'll be forced to endure 23 weeks of various training
exercises.
"We want
to see if this is something that they're either cut out for or not," Lt.
Donny Hanson said.
Hanson said
once hired it'll take some time before citizens will feel the effects of their
presence.
"It would
be almost a year from the time they are employed until we feel their affect on
the streets because of the 23 weeks on the academy plus the 16 weeks of the
field training officer program then they are let out on their own."
He said more
officers could help decrease crime in target areas.
"Get more
officers on the streets and get some of our areas in town that we are having
trouble with. Get more units in that area and start flooding those areas and
let them start seeing more police officers."
He said despite
the new hires being restricted to the watch of a senior officer, he said just
the presence of a rookie will help both and with potential crimes including
burglaries and robberies.
"It also
is a benefit to us to have instead of two eyes while we are driving to have
four eyes watching and to be able to scan over and look at these businesses.
Hanson said
this career choice is a tough one but one that is heavily rewarding.
"It is
stressful and it is high risk, we put on bullet proof vests to go to work for a
reason and if I told you anything different it wouldn't be right, but the
benefits are overwhelming, to be out there helping the public and it's
something different everyday."
If you're interested in becoming a Lawton
police officer you can pick up your application at the new city hall in the human resources
department.
