Chicago Police Department recruiting city residents: 'we don't have enough police'

CHICAGO - The Chicago Police Department is looking for a few good men and women. They are taking their recruiting efforts into Chicago neighborhoods.

"When you call 911 and you don't get anybody, that's because we don't have enough police," said Jennifer Edwards, a community volunteer who attended Thursday's recruiting event in Bronzeville.

Chicago police recruits sat down with interested applicants at a local Culver’s restaurant. The department has to fill about 1,000 vacancies this year. The city would like to send 60 to 70 recruits through the academy every six weeks.

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Requirements were recently scaled back to attract more people. Applicants no longer need 60 hours of college credit if they have two years of military or police experience or three years of correctional, social services, health care, trades or education employment.

"We are looking for men and women from the community to come join the police department and we know you're out there, so we're asking you to come here and talk to us," said CPD Recruitment and Retention Deputy Chief Migdalia Bulnes.

"We want to encourage people from our communities to apply. These are good jobs. These are prestigious jobs," added Edwards.

An in-person test is required to apply. It’s being offered May 19-21 at all seven City College locations. Go to ChicagoPolice.org for more information.