Part time law enforcement officers have a pathway to go full time

‘Most of the hours are the same, only difference is you are not there for several days straight,” said Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook.

But until recently, the only option for a part-time officer who wanted to go full-time was to take a 12-week course at one of the academies across the state. Now, the Board of Law Enforcement Officers Standard and Training, known as BLEOST, is moving forward with the ‘Bridge Program.”

Sheriff Kevin Crook says the program is a good pathway for those who have been putting in the work as part-time officers for years, but who couldn’t take time away from other commitments for a full-time, residential academy.

“We got neighboring counties that use a lot of part-time help, those guys answer hot calls, work wrecks, do things full-time guys do, they can’t work those full-time hours,” Sheriff Crook said.

To qualify for the Bridge Program, a part-time officer must have worked for an agency for at least five years,  with a minimum of forty hours per month. They must also pass an equivalency exam, physical fitness assessment, subject control and defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations course, and firearms qualification.

“Think they took a lot of time to create a way that doesn’t lower the bar,” Crook said.

Katelyn Johnson is an administrative assistant at the sheriff’s office. She graduated from the part-time academy two years ago and says the Bridge Program would be a good fit for some part time officers.

‘I think it is a good opportunity for those working part time, auxiliary, to get their full time certificate, once they put in the hours,” Johnson said.

The Bridge Program has put a lot of emphasis and awareness on experience and training. Sheriff Crook says whatever path an officer takes, continuous training is vital.

‘It really doesn’t matter whether you came out of a full time or part time academy, if that is all you get, with all the changes, that is what the conversation should be about,  are you making yourself better as a law enforcement officer,” Sheriff Crook said.

The next part time academy for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy is set for January.

The Bridge Program is waiting full approval from the Board of Standards.