BENTON, Ark. — There's a rising concern for the Benton Police Department as the busiest patrol months approach.
"Why not just go for it,” said Angel Oliver, recent Benton PD recruit. “I got hired January 7th 2019.”
Oliver is just one of the few brave enough to rise to the challenge of becoming a patrolman.
"Is it made for everybody, no it is not,” said Sgt. Quinton Jackson. “You have to have a desire to be a police officer."
As the city of Benton grows, so does the need for more officers.
“We are always looking for good qualified individuals,” said Jackson.
Though new hires are training their way through the academy, the department still faces a shortage. So, it’s amped up recruitment.
"We have a recruitment video that we are working on that hopefully we will have out soon,” said Jackson. “Even today I scheduled a job fair with some of the local colleges.”
Sgt Jackson said Benton's biggest hurdle is salary, competing with larger departments.
The starting salary at the Benton Police Department is $37,156 a year.
That’s competing against departments like the Little Rock Police Department with a starting salary of $43,742 and North Little Rock Police Department starting entry level officers at $40,000.
Jackson said the department currently has five patrol officer positions open, which is a lot for this time of year as he said crime tends to pick up once school lets out.
If you are looking to become a Benton police officer, it’s not too late to get in on the next testing.
Applications are due Wednesday, March 27, the next testing date is Monday, April 1.