The San Antonio Police Department today is conducting a recruiting drive...in Austin, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Sergeant John Zuniga says he and his fellow recruiters will be scouring the Capital City, looking for a few good men and women. The event takes place at the Doubletree Hotel near the University of Texas.
"We're looking for highly motivated, highly intelligent candidates," he said. "We want the best for San Antonio."
The San Antonio recruiters will be touting San Antonio's lower cost of living than Austin, as well as more affordable housing and less traffic.
Applicants must be between 20 years, 6 months and 45 years old. They can't have a conviction on their record for any offense over a Class B misdemeanor, or any crime related to domestic violence or any conviction for a 'crime of moral turpitude,' which is dishonesty, fraud, or deceit. They also must not have received a discharge other than 'honorable' from the United States military, and must have a high school diploma with at least a 'C' average or a GED.
Zuniga concedes that recruiting offices in today's climate can be difficult.
"We have been having problems recruiting, I'm not going to sugar coat," he said. "Every generation has good, and we want to tap into that."
Police experts say barriers to recruitment today include the questions raised by the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, as well as concerns over the stability of municipal pensions, which are a major reason that many people sign up for police work, with its dangerous duties and unforgiving work schedules.
Zuniga says there are incentives.
"We're offering hiring bonuses up to $7500 for qualified applicants."
He says this is part of a general effort by the SAPD to expand its recruiting horizons, and bring different sorts of qualified officers into the force.