MPD hopeful to steer girls to their “blue” calling with open home

The Morgantown Police Division hosted its first open home for ladies Wednesday night on the Morgantown Public Security Coaching Facility on Earl L. Core Highway to encourage native girls to study extra about working in legislation enforcement. 

In 2022, the Morgantown Police Division grew to become part of the nationwide 30×30 initiative, which established a purpose to realize 30% girls recruits by the yr 2030. 

The division presently has 5 feminine officers on employees and 57 whole officers. There are additionally 21 present vacancies.  

Practically 20 younger girls, principally native college students from applications like M-Tech and WVU Forensic Sciences, attended the occasion, which included an open group dialogue with MPD Lt. Molly Linthicum, an 18-year member of the division, and the prospect to check out numerous situations on the coaching simulator. Attendees have been additionally welcome to tour the ability. 

“Our division, above the rest, values the sensation of household, the sensation of dedication, delight and professionalism. That’s what I feel our division is about, that’s what we attempt for on daily basis, that’s what we do every day,” Chief Eric Powell mentioned as he welcomed the group. “The factor in regards to the legislation enforcement career is … on the finish of the day you possibly can have an actual sense of accomplishment, you could have a way of getting a optimistic impression in an individual’s life.  

“There’s at all times good and there’s at all times dangerous in any job that you just wish to do, however I feel that once you get right down to the brass tacks of getting one thing out of a career, getting one thing out of a job, what you’re taking away from being a police officer is … having a direct and significant impression on individuals’s lives,” he mentioned. 

Linthicum mentioned the method of making use of to the division and the testing and coaching required in addition to advantages and specialization and development alternatives throughout the division. 

She mentioned, at occasions, feminine officers can face stigmas from the previous the place individuals don’t see them as authority figures, however that has been altering through the years and so they have gained loads of respect. 

For the women attending the occasion or those that could also be hesitant to pursue a legislation enforcement profession, Linthicum mentioned, “Anyone regardless of your dimension or mentality – you are able to do the job. It simply takes somewhat extra authority, however that may include the job and with coaching.” 

A number of members of Morgantown Metropolis Council in addition to Metropolis Ambassadors have been additionally in attendance and blissful to see a very good turnout. 

“It’s no secret that town is fighting our legislation enforcement numbers so having an occasion like this, exhibiting a various group of folks that legislation enforcement is a job that’s open to them, they might be welcomed into the ranks, and we actually worth these forms of workers,” mentioned Danielle Trumble, Morgantown deputy mayor.  

“We’re working actually laborious to enhance our numbers and we’re all of our choices,” Council member Louise “Weez” Michael added, “however it is a nice begin and being a feminine that works in legislation enforcement, we’re simply very, very supportive of this and we would like issues to get higher and enhance.” 

MPD Coaching Coordinator Lt. Chad Reyes was additionally pleasantly shocked with the variety of girls in attendance. 

“It’s at all times useful to have females on the drive. Proper now I feel we’ve 5 and they’re all presently on the evening shift, so it might be good to have extra unfold throughout the division,” Reyes mentioned. “There’s not normally a lot curiosity in females desirous to work as a police officer – it’s simply the character of the job.” 

For anybody, male or feminine, Reyes suggested, “I might do loads of analysis and ensure it’s one thing you have an interest in doing. Primary, you have to be a individuals individual – that’s the most important side of the job: figuring out methods to speak to individuals and methods to take care of individuals.” 

“With any officer there’s a need to recruit individuals that basically consider in what your mission is and what you are attempting to perform and purchase into the notion of serving to individuals,” Powell mentioned of his ideally suited recruit. “All of the traits of a very good officer are the traits that you’d wish to have or that you’d wish to see in your children – issues like honesty, trustworthiness, dependability and delight.”   

Powell mentioned extra individuals attended the occasion than he anticipated, and the division will doubtless do comparable occasions on the coaching facility sooner or later. 

“After we first envisioned this facility, a part of the perform was neighborhood outreach and neighborhood connections and making these connections with neighborhood members and a part of that’s having occasions and open homes and methods for individuals to return join and see what it’s we’re doing so it’s not so out of sight and folks can develop into extra acquainted with what we do and the way we practice, why we practice the best way we practice, and simply to achieve a greater understanding of their police division,” Powell mentioned. 

MPD shall be testing for brand new officers at 9 a.m. Oct. 28. To study extra in regards to the necessities and methods to apply go to morgantownpd.com.