The St. Cloud Police Department serves the citizens and visitors of the City of St. Cloud, which includes over 41 square miles and over 68,000 citizens. The department consists of 116 sworn police officers and over 50 non-sworn civilian staff members. The department is community engagement driven and is one of the only departments in the state with an entire division dedicated to these engagement efforts. Because of this, the department benefits from having a strong positive and constructive relationship with the community they serve. We had the opportunity to attend the SCPD Career Fair earlier this month and catch up with SCPD Commander, Adam Meierding.
The police department currently has numerous career opportunities, including:
- Patrol
- SWAT
- Criminal Investigation Unit
- Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF)
- Community Response Team (COP House)
- School Resource Officer
- K9 Unit
- Drone Pilot
- Crime Scene Technician
- Co-Responder Unit
- Community Crime Impact Team
- Sex Trafficking Task Force
- Auto Theft Investigator
In 2022, the police department will begin having at least two police academies per year for the foreseeable future. The first academy began in February & March, while the second academy will begin in July & August. The department is also adding a 3rd academy in May for 2022. The police department will be accepting applications continuously with the POST eligibility deadlines for each academy listed below. The department’s 10-week academy consists of high-quality instruction using the latest law enforcement training techniques and philosophies to put our police recruits in the best position to succeed. Police recruits can expect to gain extensive hands-on training and knowledge in various topics including use of force, policy and statute review, scenario-based training, etc. while being paid at the appropriate full police officer wage. For the May Academy, applications are due April 4th, and for the July/August Academy, applications are due May 23rd.
Commander Meierding explained that “SCPD members are guided by the principles of the Wheel of Integrity which include; Accountability, Honesty, Humility, Respect, and Transparency. The community can expect these elements in all interactions with our department members.”
The St. Cloud Police Department is an exciting place to work, especially given the number of opportunities they have. Officers are outfitted with the latest equipment and up-to-date training which provides them with the tools they need to be successful at their job. “When we couple that with support from police department and city administration, we have a police culture that provides high-level public safety services to our community. Our officers are also able to assist in the many community engagement events we provide throughout the year, giving our officers the ability to be seen outside of their uniform and to be known on a personal level with our community members, particularly our youth.”
“The decision to enter public service is a noble one, especially given recent events and the scrutiny surrounding law enforcement. With that being said, we believe serving our community has extraordinary benefits and can be extremely rewarding. We benefit from having a positive relationship with our community and our officers often feel that through appreciation they receive.”
“The St. Cloud community shows strong support for our public safety services. This is a benefit that other law enforcement agencies don’t always have. We have worked hard to maintain many positive relationships with our community members and have found creative ways to use these partnerships to benefit the community we serve. These partnerships have also been invaluable to our employees and their wellness.
“Although the last few years have been tough for our profession, we still believe in the importance of what we do. It can be extremely rewarding even though it isn’t always portrayed that way in the media. If someone is interested, St. Cloud Police Department is one of the best. When you couple our community and administration support with the many opportunities our police department provides, we believe this makes us the premier law enforcement agency in the state.”
SCPD recently added a “Text to Apply” service for their recruiting efforts. Anyone looking for more information, to apply for a position, or to speak with a recruiter, can text “JoinSCPD” to 320-373-9183.
#StCloudShines
