CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — There's a statewide law enforcement shortage that has officials in almost every county struggling to fill crucial vacancies.
The Kleberg County Sheriff's Office is one that is actively trying to recruit deputies and jailers through incentives and opportunities exclusive to smaller counties.
Kleberg County Sheriff Richard Kirkpatrick said the two main reasons for the shortage are hesitancy to enter the field, and better pay at bigger counties.
"It’s chasing the dollars. Sometimes it really boils down to that competitive means," Kirkpatrick said.
He added the lengthy hiring process also discourages applicants.
The hiring process includes an extensive background check involving a look at previous employment, possible arrests and references.
However, the KCSO came up with incentives to recruit officers to join their ranks, and stay in the area.
Kirkpatirck said they are paying for their potential employees academy tuition, which saves them thousands of dollars.
"That’s a costly investment but it's an investment we’re ready to take because we’re trying to find people who want to work this profession," Kirkpatrick said.
The office also promotes growth opportunities within the departments, but the opportunities to be on scene serving the community is what really sets this office apart from bigger counties.
"Here, it’s a different story because we may not have the volume of calls that a larger police agency may be accustomed to. Here, we have a more proactive approach where we’re out there still being able to serve the community in a proactive manner and looking for these types of crimes at the same time," Kirkpatrick said.
Kirkpatrick said the job is not easy and does not have a normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work shift, but his staff continues to stay because of their passion and resilience.
"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a super hero and I knew that police officers were considered super heroes without a cape," Criminal Interdiction Officer Ruben Villalobos said. "I stay in this field because I love what I do and meeting people. When there’s some kind of criminal activity, we like to solve that. I like the challenge and if you like the challenge, there's plenty for you here in law enforcement."
Kirkpatrick compared their shortage to a domino effect because if one department is short staffed, they have to pull from others. In desperate times of need, the KCSO even has to reach out to other county departments.
At the next Kleberg County Commissioners meeting, commissioners will discuss raising pay for sheriff's office employees.
If qualified and interested in applying, potential applicants can find the application here.
