Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Jackson County deputy honored for saving man's life ... Jackson County Commissioners oppose Crater Lake wilderness proposal ... Court gives class-action status to Jacksonville protesters against Bush ... Jackson County deputy honored for saving man's life ... Jackson County Commissioners oppose Crater Lake wilderness proposal ... Court gives class-action status to Jacksonville protesters against Bush ... SUNDAY FOCUS: OFFICER HIRING The long road to the law Rigorous process for recruits means it can take a year to fill vacancies on the force Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News This time last year, Jessica Dedrick flew in from Boise State University to take a written exam applying to join the Medford Police Department. The criminal justice graduate was finally hired nine months later. But Dedrick is still months away from patrolling on her own. She's got six weeks left in her four-month stint at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem, then months of field training before she can fly solo. "The process surprised me," says Dedrick, who has dreamed of being a police officer in her hometown of Medford since she was 12. Dedrick was among only five who received a job offer out of that batch of 122 applicants a year ago, Medford Lt. Scott Clauson says. All candidates must undergo a rigorous application process, including an extensive background check and a thorough psychiatric evaluation in Portland, before they can join the force. The lengthy hiring process means it can be tough for local law enforcement agencies to fill positions, especially when they've got multiple vacancies. Departments throughout the state are struggling to fill openings, which Medford police Chief Tim George attributes to three factors: a wave of baby boomers reaching retirement age, the restoration of hiring budgets that had been slashed during the recession, and positions left vacant by those who didn't make it past the one-year probation period after graduation. "It is a little bit of a perfect storm right now," says George, who's retiring himself in December. Jackson County Sheriff Corey Falls is closing one floor of the Jackson County Jail, reducing capacity by 62 beds, because of seven vacancies in the jail. Some deputies changed careers and others are retiring, he said when he announced the closure earlier this month. New hires are in the pipeline, but "the process takes six to 12 months sometimes to hire somebody in law enforcement," Falls said then. The Ashland Police Department, too, has been busy trying to fill positions. “We all have operational deficiencies right now,” Ashland police Chief Tighe O'Meara says. His department recently hired three officers, Lacie Dahl, Brent Hegdahl and Evan Westhelle, all also currently training at the Salem academy. For an agency the size of Ashland, three officers at the academy at the same time is unprecedented, O'Meara says. "We anticipate hiring a fourth in January," O'Meara says. Ashland's openings stem from the recent retirement of Chief Terry Holderness, the election of former Deputy Chief Corey Falls to sheriff, and two candidates who no longer want to work as police officers, O'Meara says. The background check and battery of medical and psychological tests applicants must undergo can take two or three months, O'Meara says. The academy won’t admit cadets until they’re employees of their respective agencies. O'Meara and Clauson both say that once the officers are hired, there's often a three-month wait before they can get into the academy. Academy training for a new cadet is about four months and includes a thorough review of state laws as well as instruction on how to react to rapidly evolving situations. "You learn to have conversations and have traffic stops," Dedrick says. By the time new officers graduate from the police academy, they typically have been in the hiring process for 10½ months, O'Meara says. Then they undergo about two more months of training on site. Because of the time-intensive hiring process, lateral candidates — candidates who come from other law enforcement agencies — are at a premium right now. They can be patrolling on their own in as little as four months. Officer Benjamin Sandu spent about seven years as a deputy with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department in California before joining the Medford force. Sandu's training at the academy was a two-week overview of Oregon laws. He currently undergoes field training with an officer from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Sandu already knows the mechanics of being a police officer, so his accelerated training focuses on area schools, banks, high-target areas and differences in dispatch. George understands that applicants currently have more options than when he started as an officer at the department 38 years ago. "It is an employee market," George says. O’Meara says lateral candidates are easy to get up and running faster, but a new candidate can be molded to the department’s needs more thoroughly. “There’s an immediate benefit to lateral candidates, and a long-term benefit to new candidates,” O'Meara says. Medford has separate training tracks for new officers and lateral officers, and George values a mix of both on Medford's force. Even with greater demand, which he expects to taper off as positions gradually fill, George stands by the hiring process. "I don't think we should ever lower the standard," he says. He says decision-making is critical for officers who could face what he describes as "high-risk, low-frequency situations" at any moment, while de-escalating high-stress, low-risk situations. The lengthy and rigorous battery of tests ensures a police force ready to make quick decisions under pressure. "There's an expectation when someone calls us that they're going to get our absolute best," George says. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501