APD Annual Reports - 2017 Annual Report | Page 50

Support Operations Bureau Personnel & Recruiting • The Personnel and Recruiting Unit hosted 21 recruiting events last year. • The department hired 65 recruit officers in 2017. • In November, the unit hosted its first Open House at the Training Center to draw prospective applicants. 50 The Personnel and Recruiting Unit is responsible for the selection and hiring process of employees for the department. The unit is staffed by three full-time officers, three part-time officers and one professional staff member. In 2017, Annual Report 2017 the unit processed the hiring of 65 officers who attended Basic Recruit Training. The department recruits around the country and prospective applicants go through an exhaustive background and interview process before being selected as one of Arlington’s Finest. The department also utilized social media to attract officers and bolster recruiting efforts. The unit did three Facebook “Live” events where citizens can send questions in and staff provide responses about what an officer does and how the academy works. In November, the unit hosted its first Open House at the Training Center. Representatives included Criminal Justice Association members from Tarleton State University, Texas Christian University, and the University of Texas at Arlington. This afforded recruiters an opportunity to highlight what Arlington has to offer upon graduation.