By Patrick Mcardle
Staff Writer
The Vermont State Police are working on recruiting candidates for the Vermont Police Academy who would then be expected to join the ranks of the statewide police force after they graduate.
Capt. Teresa Randall, staff operations commander for the Vermont State Police who oversees their recruiting initiatives, said the “intensive recruiting effort,” as it’s described in a news release from the Vermont State Police was created after a “lot of different ideas were brought to the table” in the effort to attract new troopers.
Many law-enforcement agencies in Vermont and the U.S. are struggling to find new officers, including the Rutland City Police Department. Randall said she brought her own experience, which included working in public relations and advertising.
“We have a class coming up, late winter, early spring, and to fill the recruit class we are ramping up some of our recruiting efforts,” she said.
In a statement, Col. Matthew Birmingham, director of the VSP, said the agency wants people to know they’re hiring.
“We have a reputation nationwide and across Vermont for professionalism, exacting standards and a modern, innovative approach to policing. There is no better time for people who are considering a career in law-enforcement, or who are already working as police officers, to apply to join the Vermont State Police,” Birmingham said.
Randall said she wanted the public to know “there’s no cookie-cutter trooper.”
“It takes all different walks of life and a diverse workforce to really make up the Vermont State Police,” she said.
According to Randall, there are troopers who previously worked as a contractor or teacher. She herself spent 10 years working for a publishing company.
“We come from all different backgrounds and because Vermont is a community with all different kinds of backgrounds, if we have a very diverse workforce then we’re better able to serve the public,” she said.
Randall said one population the outreach will target is women. In the release, she’s cited as pointing out that in March the VSP became the first state police agency in the country to sign on to the 30×30 Pledge, which is a commitment to have women make up at least 30 percent of police recruit classes by 2030.
Because a VSP trooper is required to live in the state, Randall said officials at the VSP are looking at what the state has to offer.
“What do we bring to the table that will be attractive to get people to actually want to move to Vermont. We have so many things and so many different areas of the state. All four corners of the state are a little bit different and a little bit unique. You have Burlington and Lake Champlain and then you have the Northeast Kingdom and then the Rutland County area. We’re all different,” she said.
Randall, who is a native of the state, said the VSP is not just looking for people willing to come to Vermont but Vermonters who are interested in law enforcement.
Randall said being a trooper can be rewarding for the opportunities to help others.
“When I say helping people, it’s more of being there for people. It’s the simple things. When you’re stranded on the side of the road at 2 a.m. and it’s 20 below zero, and you see the blue lights behind you. A trooper comes up, checks on you, calls for a wrecker, just giving that kind of service. … We are there to help. We really are good people. We want to make a difference within our community,” she said.
She also talked about the effort made by some troopers to solve a crime in order to resolve a matter for the victim or the victim’s family and loved ones.
For young people interested in a career in police work, Randall acknowledged many will seek a major in criminal justice, but she said many educational pursuits can be useful in the field. Her degree is in drug and alcohol addiction studies.
“That has helped me in my career. I worked in the narcotics investigation unit for over 10 years so that was something that I was able to use that background and education to help in that field. Also, I have a degree in marketing and public relations and that has helped tremendously when I go and talk to people in treating people like a human and being compassionate and caring and putting their needs first,” she said.
Some of the job openings with the State Police are in civilian careers especially as dispatchers and 911 call-takers in the two public safety answering centers in Westminster and Williston.
Randall said for some applicants, a job working as a trooper, if a cadet class is available at the right time, can be achieved within a year.
Visit vsp.vermont.gov/employment for information on how to apply to the Vermont State Police.
patrick.mcardle @rutlandherald.com
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