DETROIT – The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office held a major hiring event on Saturday at the Criminal Justice Center in Detroit, aiming to recruit new deputies in a single day.
The event ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. but people lined up as early as daybreak.
The hiring event came as the sheriff’s office faces significant staffing shortages, a challenge common nationwide. It’s reported the shortage has led to mandatory overtime for existing deputies, putting additional strain on the force. To combat this, Sheriff Raphael Washington revamped recruitment efforts earlier this year, expanding academy class sizes significantly.
The event provided an all-in-one opportunity for candidates to complete oral interviews, written and physical agility tests, health screenings, and even meet various specialty units like the SRT, canine, motorcycle, roads and marine teams.
The hiring process normally takes two to three weeks.
“I thought I’d give it a shot. I thought – a good opportunity. Something different compared to the other jobs,” said Valentino Sinamati, a candidate.
The agency hopes this unique outreach featuring influencers will end the staffing crunch.
“This is a great career opportunity and most people did not realize that,” said Kevin Tolbert, chief of staff. “People often thought law enforcement are underpaid and they’re out here doing this and doing that – many of our deputies here start off at $51,000 and they go with the $5,000 bonus the first year. But many have opportunities to work overtime and make a whole more than that.”
The numbers also show public opinion on police may be shifting.
“They have a job to do. Everybody has a job to do. Give them a break,” said Hope Johnson, another candidate.
The sheriff’s office told Local 4 it has about 550 sworn-in deputies. From this roundup, it’s looking to add 200 more to the force.
The department also said none of the candidates were lateral hires. Meanwhile, some of the reasons people are turned away include run-ins with the law like traffic violations.