Police departments statewide and nationwide are facing staffing shortages. Locally, Monmouth Police Chief Joe Switzer says the department has had a heavy presence in the community to gain potential recruits:
“We did a pretty heavy recruiting push. We have went to several local recruiting events at Carl Sandburg College and at Western Illinois University. I’m sure people have seen the billboard that was out east of town and is now on the west end of town. We have videos out on Facebook advertising for both police and dispatch.”
Qualifications to apply with the Monmouth Police Department as an officer or dispatcher include a high school diploma, no criminal convictions, and a clean driving record.
